Members of the @pressclubdc.bsky.social are invited to a reception on October 7 with freed journalist Alsu Kurmasheva to learn her story and hear about developments in the press freedom space in Russia, Europe, and around the world.
When you become a member of the National Press Club, you gain access to a unique professional network, exclusive events with high-profile newsmakers, cutting-edge educational programming to advance your career, and a welcoming social club in the heart of downtown Washington, D.C.
This crackdown also comes at a time when the nation is witnessing a devastating hollowing out of defense trade publications, just as rigorous, independent coverage of military and national security issues has never been more essential.”
Independent reporting on the military is essential to democracy. It is what allows citizens to hold leaders accountable and ensures that decisions of war and peace are made in the light of day.
If the news about our military must first be approved by the government, then the public is no longer getting independent reporting. It is getting only what officials want them to see. That should alarm every American.
For generations, Pentagon reporters have provided the public with vital information about how wars are fought, how defense dollars are spent, and how decisions are made that put American lives at risk.
“The Pentagon is now demanding that journalists sign a pledge not to obtain or report any information — even if unclassified — unless it has been expressly authorized by the government.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 — National Press Club President Mike Balsamo today released the following statement on the Pentagon’s new pledge requirement for reporters:
Editors Note: The National Press Club and the Press Freedom Center plan to submit a public comment to this proposed rule change from DHS, following the substance of this statement.
The Club stressed that the proposal also threatens America’s reputation as a safe harbor for reporters fleeing persecution. "Uncertainty and bureaucracy are the enemies of strong reporting," Balsamo said.
"In 2020, U.S. reporters were expelled from China amid visa disputes. We cannot afford to put our own journalists at risk by setting that precedent here."
The Club warned that the rule risks triggering retaliation against American reporters overseas. "When we treat journalists differently based on nationality, we invite other countries to do the same," Balsamo said.
...Their reporting has told the story of America through world wars, civil rights struggles, and the end of the Cold War. This rule would make that work harder, not easier."
2/9 "For 117 years, the National Press Club has welcomed foreign correspondents to Washington," said Mike Balsamo, 118th President of the Club. "Foreign journalists are not guests in our democracy — they are witnesses to it...
The proposal would replace the long-standing "duration of status" system with fixed admission periods of 240 days, and just 90 days for Chinese nationals.
WASHINGTON, September 17 -- Today, the National Press Club urged the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to withdraw a proposed rule that would sharply restrict the ability of foreign correspondents to live and work in the United States.
The Institute is proud to honor @edmahon.bsky.social, an investigative reporter at @spotlightpa.org, with the 2025 Neil and Susan Sheehan Award for Investigative Journalism.
