CENTCOM public affairs admits to keeping a secret blacklist of reporters
A CENTCOM public-affairs official confirmed that the command maintains a confidential list of journalists it chooses to ignore.
During a prolonged phone exchange, Richard Allee of CENTCOM public affairs admitted that the command keeps an undisclosed roster of journalists it treats as non-entities. He confirmed the existence of the list when asked directly and cautioned the reporter that continued probing could result in being placed on it. CENTCOM’s media operations chief, Maj. Emma Thompson, earlier hung up on the same reporter after refusing to comment on Iranian attacks, casualty figures, and medical evacuations.
The disclosure occurs against a backdrop of criticism that Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office has intensified restrictions on press access, including a 2025 memo limiting reporter credentials and a 2026 court-invalidated pledge policy. Advocacy groups, such as the Freedom of the Press Foundation, have denounced the practice as unconstitutional censorship, urging transparency about who is being blacklisted and why.
Why it matters
It reveals a covert effort to silence journalists, raising serious First Amendment concerns.
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