The Pentagon announced Thursday that it plans to take direct control of Stars and Stripes, the long-running military newspaper that has served U.S. service members since World War II and has traditionally operated with congressionally protected editorial independence.
In a post on X, chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the Defense Department intends to return the publication to what he described as its “original mission: reporting for our warfighters.” Parnell said the paper would eliminate what he called “woke distractions” and focus more narrowly on military-related topics. He also said the outlet would stop publishing “repurposed DC gossip columns,” a claim the paper’s publisher disputed, noting that Stars and Stripes does not carry gossip columns.
The Trump administration has also moved to eliminate a federal regulation governing Stars and Stripes, telling the Federal Register that the rule is unnecessary and does not affect the public. A Defense Department spokesperson shared Parnell’s statement but did not explain how the changes would align with the newspaper’s long-standing editorial autonomy. Stars and Stripes has published continuously since 1942.
Editor in Chief Erik Slavin told staff in an internal email Thursday that the announcement came as a surprise and said he would work to preserve the publication as an independent news source for the military community.
According to Parnell, the newspaper will now be tailored specifically to service members, with coverage centered on “warfighting, weapons systems, fitness, lethality, survivability, and all things military.” He also said the outlet would no longer run Associated Press content.
Separately, the Washington Post reported that job applicants to Stars and Stripes are now being asked how they would advance the President’s executive orders and policy priorities in their roles—another development that leadership at the paper said was unexpected.
On its website, Stars and Stripes states that its core values include uncovering the news, following facts wherever they lead, and maintaining discipline in verification without allowing preconceived ideas to shape coverage.