See, that part is correct. An appropriate authority must provide the classification of a material before it’s released. Everything coming out of the DoD has a release authority attached to it. Every picture of two people shaking hands is ‘released’ by the DoD…

But the whole idea of a pledge before showing up to a press pool is downright silly.

“Well, yes, Queef Hegseth, I didn’t use any outside materials, the coauthors of the piece did though and my editor included it. Nothing I could do.”