Jen Psaki

And every secretary of defense since has also...

embrace that concept.

They have all had their problems.

They have reporters they don't like.

They have stories they don't like.

They have publications they don't like.

Just like at the White House, no different.

But they understand that in this country, a fundamental underpinning of American democracy is the First Amendment and the free press and how important it is to communicate all

what the troops are doing.

I would share one anecdote, which is under Bob Gates, who was a pretty tough customer and did not suffer fools gladly.

I think every reporter who covered him can attest to that.

Under Gates, he applauded the press corps because there were multiple cases of stories that emerged about things going on that he said,

He had no idea that, you know, the treatment of the wounded at Walter Reed, the needs, wine resistant vehicles in the war zone.

These were stories that came out that were heavily reported by the news media.

And Gates was very glad to see those stories.

He did not take a negative attitude towards that.

He didn't say that reporting the bad news was reporters trying to make the president look bad.

I think one of really, truly the saddest things that will go down in history is Pete Hegseth criticizing the news media for reporting on those troops who were killed in action in Kuwait.

It is so important for Americans to understand what their troops are called to do and how they may perish on the battlefield.

Hegseth likes to talk about the fact that he's a veteran, so you would think he would understand this, but right now he is determined.