"A dark day": Pentagon confiscates badges of Defense reporters

Nearly every Pentagon reporter from almost every major media outlet in America turned in their press badges Thursday, after refusing to endorse the Defense Department's new rules that they say would make it impossible to do their jobs independently.

Why it matters: Press groups say the unprecedented restrictions contravene the First Amendment and echo a concerning trend of press freedoms under attack by the Trump administration.

What they're saying: "Today, the Defense Department confiscated the badges of the Pentagon reporters from virtually every major media organization in America," the Pentagon Press Association said in a statement on Thursday. • "The Pentagon Press Association's members are still committed to reporting on the U.S. military," they wrote. • "But make no mistake, t