WASHINGTON, D.C.: New regulations implemented by Pentagon officials this week ensured that only Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's handpicked media organizations were granted access to briefings, rather than all news outlets that provide information to millions of consumers.

Since the new rules stated media outlets could only report what the Defense Secretary said, most mainstream news outlets walked out rather than comply.

The Defense Department, however, argued the rules are "common sense" regulations designed to prevent the spread of classified information. Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson met reporters on December 2.

Hegseth's team stated that the briefings are part of special orientation events for a newly credentialed Pentagon press corps, consisting primarily of conservative news outlets that agreed to his new operating rules.

The Washington Post, The Associated Press, CNN, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, and Newsmax were some of the outlets denied access to the Pentagon to cover question-and-answer sessions.

"Denying access to briefings to credible and nonpartisan news media that routinely cover the Pentagon is not conducive to transparency for the American public, who fund the department's budget to the tune of many hundreds of billions of dollars per year," said Marc Lavine, North America regional director for Agence France-Presse, which also said its request was denied.

The rules haven't stopped journalists from reporting that Hegseth ordered a second strike in September against a boat with suspected drug smugglers after the first strike did not kill everyone on board. Some critics have said this was a potential war crime if true, but President Donald Trump said Hegseth had denied he did this.

To play down the controversy, the department's press office said Wilson's briefing was part of a special orientation event "for credentialed press only." It would not say whether future briefings would follow the same rules. Defense Department briefings used to be routine, but only a handful have been held since Trump began his second term.

It's unclear whether any of the briefings will be seen outside the Pentagon, as journalists were told access to livestreams was not possible.

Some of the new Pentagon press corps posted pictures of themselves online wearing their credentials.

They included influential Trump ally Laura Loomer, who was pictured sitting at an empty desk. "The Washington Post @washingtonpost and Dan Lamothe @DanLamothe used to occupy this desk inside the Pentagon Press room," she wrote. "Now it's mine!"

Alexandra Ingersoll and former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz recently received their credentials at the Pentagon on behalf of One America News. Ingersoll is expected to report live from the Pentagon this week, said Charles Herring, president of OAN. She conducted an interview with Hegseth that appeared on the network on November 20.

Rob Bluey, president and executive editor of The Daily Signal, said he expected to attend the briefings with reporter Bradley Devin, assuming some last-minute snags with their credentials are smoothed out.