The Air Force has rescinded a new policy that resulted in a credentialed foreign Pentagon reporter getting his phone confiscated during a Defense Department flight.
The situation played out during Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks's flight to Norway on Sunday and involved a Reuters reporter who had been on similar travel previously.Shortly after the plane took off, a public affairs official asked the reporter to hand over his phone and was told that he couldn’t use his computer or AirPods. Another journalist on the trip who is a U.S. citizen did not have to give up any devices.
“The recent revision to security procedures was being implemented in an incremental manner, focusing first on non-U.S. travelers, but has since been rescinded by the 89th Airlift Wing commander and therefore no longer applies,” Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, an Air Force spokesman, said in a statement. “Regrettably, this had the unintended effect of impacting one reporter on this past weekend’s mission,” he added. “I have personally reached out to the reporter to apologize for the inconvenience and miscommunication as we very much respect the role of a free press and welcome them aboard our flights. Any revisions to future security policies will be thoroughly coordinated with affected organizations, and communicated extensively with all travelers prior to missions.
Ryder said he had spoken with the reporter and apologized"for the inconvenience and miscommunication.""The Pentagon Press Association is glad the U.S. Air Force quickly rescinded a rule that would have prevented independent journalists from doing their jobs while traveling with defense officials,” the Pentagon Press Association said in a statement.
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