Stars and Stripes

U.S. military-funded, editorially independent by congressional mandate (independence under active pressure as of 2026)

Background

Stars and Stripes traces its origins to November 9, 1861, when soldiers from Illinois regiments printed a one-page paper during the Civil War. It was revived during World War I by the American Expeditionary Forces (February 1918–June 1919), reaching a peak circulation of 526,000, with notable alumni such as Harold Ross, who later founded The New Yorker. The paper was reestablished during World War II and has been published continuously since, with WWII circulation exceeding 1.2 million by January 1945. After repeated episodes of military commanders interfering with editorial decisions, Congress in the 1990s codified the paper's editorial independence, requiring a civilian editor and an independent ombudsman to shield newsroom decisions from the chain of command. The paper is funded roughly half by Pentagon appropriations and half by subscriptions and advertising. During Donald Trump's first term, his administration proposed shutting it down to cut costs; Congress blocked the closure. In January 2025, the Defense Department under Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a 'modernization' drive, declaring the paper must eliminate what it called 'woke distractions' and directing that all content align with 'good order and discipline.' The Pentagon barred syndicated comics and wire-service stories, and in April 2026 fired ombudsman Jacqueline Smith — whose term ran through December 2026 — after she publicly criticized these interventions. Advisory board members filed suit alleging First Amendment violations, and the matter remained in litigation as of mid-2026.

Sources

1. Stars and Stripes (newspaper) — Wikipedia
2. About Us | Stars and Stripes
3. Move by Trump officials tests independence of military paper Stars and Stripes — Christian Science Monitor
4. Pentagon to Overhaul Independent Military Newspaper Stars and Stripes — NOTUS
5. Defense Department says Stars and Stripes must eliminate 'woke distractions' — PBS NewsHour
6. How the military newspaper Stars and Stripes is navigating a second Trump administration — Columbia Journalism Review
7. Pentagon fires Stars and Stripes independence watchdog — The Hill
8. Ombudsman column: The Pentagon is trying to silence me | Stars and Stripes
9. The battle over Stars and Stripes — CBS News

Profile compiled 2026-07-09; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.

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