DOZENS of reporters turned in access badges and withdrew from the Pentagon on Wednesday rather than agree to government-imposed restrictions on their work, pushing journalists who cover the US military further from the seat of its power.

The US government called the new rules “common sense” to help regulate a “very disruptive” press.

News outlets were nearly unanimous in rejecting new rules imposed by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth that would leave journalists vulnerable to expulsion if they sought to report on information — classified or otherwise — that had not been approved by him for release.

Many reporters waited to leave together at a 4pm deadline set by the Defence Department to get out of the building.

Shortly after 4pm, about 40 to 50 journalists left together after handing in badges.

“It’s sad, but I’m also really proud of the press corps that we stuck together,” said Nancy Youssef, a reporter for The Atlantic who has had a desk at the Pentagon since 2007.

President Donald Trump backed the new rules.

He said: “I think he finds the press to be very disruptive in terms of world peace.

“The press is very dishonest.”

Organisations from across the media spectrum, from news organisations like The New York Times and Fox, told their reporters to leave instead of signing the new rules.