WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman heard a second round of arguments Monday from lawyers for the Times and the Trump administration over the Pentagon's revised press credential policy. Friedman did not issue an immediate ruling from the bench.

The newspaper sued the Pentagon and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in December to challenge a press credential policy that limits journalists' access to the Defense Department headquarters. Earlier this month, Friedman ruled that the policy violated journalists' constitutional rights to free speech and due process and ordered defense officials to reinstate the press credentials of seven Times reporters, saying his decision applied to all regulated parties.

Pentagon officials then implemented a revised press policy that, according to newspaper attorneys in a court filing, was intended to bypass the court's March 20 ruling. The Times asked the court to compel the government to reinstate press credentials in compliance with the order. The interim policy bars credentialed reporters from entering the Pentagon without an escort and moves reporters' workspace to an annex facility outside the building. Reporters were told they must submit a request at least one day in advance to attend pre-arranged interviews, press conferences, or other specified events, with requests approved by the Pentagon Office of Public Affairs.

Times attorney Theodore Boutrous said the Pentagon's revised policy imposes "radical new restrictions" on journalists. "They've only made things worse," Boutrous said.

Friedman responded, "How weird is that? Is it Catch-22? Is it Kafka? What's going on here?"

Government attorney Sarah Welch said, "The department has fully complied in good faith with that order." Justice Department attorneys wrote that the revised policy fully complies with Friedman's directives and argued that the court's order did not prohibit the Pentagon from revising its press credential policy or issuing new press access policies. The Defense Department's revised policy includes several safe harbors protecting reporters engaging in routine forms of newsgathering.

The Pentagon Press Association said the interim policy preserves provisions deemed unconstitutional while adding new restrictions on credential holders. In October, reporters from mainstream news outlets walked out of the Pentagon rather than comply with the new rules.

Friedman, who was nominated to the bench by President Bill Clinton, said in his order that recent U.S. military operations in Venezuela and Iran highlight the need for public access to information about government activities.