by Theleaders | January 16, 2026 9:42 pm
WASHINGTON, Jan 16 — The US Defense Department said Thursday it would overhaul the editorially independent, Pentagon-funded Stars and Stripes military newspaper to refocus the publication away from “woke distractions.”
Stars and Stripes was first published over 150 years ago and is authorized by Congress to remain free from political interference despite being funded by the Department of Defense.
The paper will adapt “to serve a new generation of service members,” including by stopping the publication of reports by the independent Associated Press wire service, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell wrote on X.
“Stars & Stripes will be custom tailored to our warfighters. It will focus on warfighting, weapons systems, fitness, lethality, survivability, and ALL THINGS MILITARY,” he wrote.
The announcement came days after the Washington Post reported that applicants to the military newspaper have been asked how they would support President Donald Trump’s priorities, raising concerns about its independence.
Stars and Stripes was first published by Union soldiers during the Civil War in 1861 and has been continually published since World War II, according to its website.
Its reports focus on the military community and range from news to entertainment.
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