Full-throttle attackThe new Trump directive transcends this already anti-democratic tradition of suppressing national security and military information, and takes the nation into new authoritarian and absurd territory. For one thing, telling Pentagon reporters to avoid unreleased information is like telling a fish to avoid water. If there’s ever been a time when we need an independent press keeping a close eye on the military, and listening to dissenting voices, it’s now. News outlets should also bear in mind that reporting on the military does not necessarily require being physically present in the Pentagon. An independent press corps with no physical access to the Pentagon is infinitely more valuable to democracy than a press corps that has pledged to only report officially sanctioned news.