Pentagon Taking Control of Stars and Stripes Newspaper

The Pentagon says it's taking editorial control of the military newspaper Stars and Stripes. It says the move is meant to return the publication to its original mission, reporting on warfighting, weapon systems, readiness and military life. Spokesperson Sean Parnell says the goal is also to remove what he called woke distractions that undermine morale. Secretary of War Pete Hegsath echoed that message. Stars and Stripes was operated with editorial independence since the 1990s. It's funded in part by the Defense Department and staffed by Pentagon employees. The paper has served U.S. troops since World War II. The paper's editor-in-chief disagreed with the move, saying service members deserve independent First Amendment-protected reporting.