STATEMENT: The Department strongly disagrees with today’s decision. This ruling strips away reasonable security measures and will make it easier for sensitive and classified information to reach our adversaries. Unescorted access to the Pentagon allowed journalists to observe activity patterns and develop relationships that contributed to repeated unauthorized disclosures of operational plans and intelligence. The court’s order effectively restores that risky environment at a time when protecting our military’s secrets is more critical than ever. The Department has a duty to safeguard classified information and our warfighters. We will appeal this decision in order to restore the Department’s ability to secure the Pentagon Reservation and prevent further harm to national security.