Grand Theft America / Receipt power-2026-08-24-centcom-public-affairs-official-confirms-a-827f7ba
CENTCOM public affairs official confirms a list of journalists to disregard and threatens to add a reporter to it
A U.S. Central Command public affairs official, Richard Allee, told an Intercept reporter that the command keeps a list of journalists to disregard and that the reporter could be placed on it; CENTCOM's press office subsequently denied that a blacklist exists.
What happened
Richard Allee, an executive assistant with CENTCOM public affairs, told an Intercept reporter 'You'll be put on a list of people to disregard,' and confirmed the list's existence when asked for clarification. He declined to say which reporters or outlets were on it, replying that he was not privy to give that information, and said it is not a list the command publicizes. The command's press office subsequently wrote to The Intercept that CENTCOM does not have a blacklist. A U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity said Hegseth's office had a standing order not to engage with the reporter and would deny it if challenged.
Why it matters
A press office that keeps an unpublished list of reporters to disregard decides which questions about the military get answered without stating a rule or a reason. The command's denial afterwards leaves the two accounts standing against each other on the record, and gives an excluded journalist nothing to appeal.
Receipt details
- Phase 1
- Silence the watchdogs
- Punish critical news coverage
