Restrictions on U.S. Military Newspaper Signal First Amendment Danger for All Media

Pete Hegseth has banned photographers from Pentagon briefings after “unflattering” photos were published earlier this month

This week the Pentagon disinvited the military’s Star & Stripes publication from attending Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s press conference. That may seem like a minor matter as President Donald Trump and Hegseth have issued broad warnings to the U.S. media about what they characterize as “unpatriotic” coverage of the war in Iran. But it signals a turning point for the newspaper, which has been continuously reporting on military matters since World War II.

The move comes after the Pentagon issued a memo to Stars and Stripes in January outlining new restrictions on content in the newspaper, including a requirement to abide by “good order and discipline.” The newspaper is also expected to “modernize its operations” and “refocus its content away from woke distractions that siphon morale.”

“The Pentagon blackballed its own newspaper from covering its own press conference?” wrote Kevin Baron, a Stars & Stripes reporter. “Reminder, Stars & Stripes employees are US Army civilians. Their editorial independence is protected by Congress specifically to prevent political leaders from feeding troops propaganda.”

The censorship of Stars & Stripes follows the Pentagon’s October 2025 issuance of a new policy for all media. Credentialed outlets must agree to a policy that states reporters cannot gather or publish information from the Pentagon that is not specifically authorized, including declassified information and off-the-record conversations.

Most media outlets refused to sign the agreement, leading to ABC News, CBS News, CNN, NBC News, Fox News, the Associated Press, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and countless other outlets losing their Pentagon press credentials.

As media outlets continue to cover the escalating war in the Middle East, Hegseth has bemoaned much of the coverage as “fake news,” taking particular aim at CNN last week. “Fake news from CNN reports that the Trump administration underestimated the Iran war’s impact on the Strait of Hormuz,” he said during a press conference. “Patently ridiculous, of course. For decades, Iran has threatened shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. This is always what they do, hold the strait hostage. CNN doesn’t think we thought of that. It’s a fundamentally unserious report. The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.”

Hegseth is referring to the billionaire chairman and CEO of Paramount Skydance’s buyout of Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN’s parent company, in a $111 billion deal. The deal has been the subject of lawsuits and controversy alleging Ellison’s father Larry Ellison, Oracle founder and one of the richest people in the world, and Trump had finessed the deal away from Netflix.

Even Fox News thinks the media is under fire, referencing Hegseth’s characterization of journalists as “unpatriotic” and “anti-Trump” as they ask questions about the war in Iran. Trump, meanwhile, praised FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s warning about media outlets “correcting course” on their war coverage.

“Broadcasters that are running hoaxes and news distortions – also known as the fake news – have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up,” wrote Carr in a post on X. “The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their licenses if they do not.”

Meanwhile the families of U.S. military members killed in Iran have spoken out against claims from Hegseth that bereaved families urged him to “finish” the job in the Middle East. Hegseth told reporters yesterday that he had spoken with the families of all six service members killed in a refueling tanker crash last week.

“What I heard through tears, through hugs, through strength and through unbreakable resolve, was the same from family after family,” said Hegseth. “They said, ‘Finish this. Honor their sacrifice. Do not waver. Do not stop until the job is done.”

Charles Simmons, father of Ohio Tech Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28, who was killed in the crash, denied discussing that with Hegseth. “I can’t speak for the other families,” Simmons told NBC News. “When he spoke to me, that was not something we talked about. I didn’t say anything along those lines.”

Stephan Douglas, cousin of Tyler Simmons, one of the three Ohioans killed in the crash, said the conflict was unnecessary in a weekend interview with Columbus news station WCMH. “This could have been prevented,” said Douglas. “We didn’t need to be in this war. This is uncalled for, and this is what we get.”

“Families are suffering right now,” said Bernice Smith, Simmons’ grandmother. “Just to create a war because you want to create a war is not right.”

8,785 Comments

  1. If the topic interests you at all this is a place to spend time, and a look at modernstylecorner reinforced that recommendation, the broader question of where to invest topical reading time is one this site answers convincingly through the consistent quality across multiple pieces I have sampled during the current reading session today.

  2. Thanks again for the post, I learned a couple of things I can actually use later this week, and after I went over pinecrestboutique the rest of the site looked equally promising, definitely going to spend more time here when I get a free moment over the weekend to read more carefully.

  3. Approaching this with the usual skepticism I bring to new sites and being slowly persuaded, and a stop at freshchoicecorner continued that gradual persuasion, the careful path from skeptical reader to genuine fan is the only one I trust and this site has walked me along that path through patient consistent quality across pieces.

  4. Decided to set a calendar reminder to revisit, and a stop at brightforestmall extended that revisit list, calendar entries for content are a level of commitment I rarely make but when I do they signal a higher regard than a simple bookmark and this site has earned that calendar tier of relationship from me today.

  5. Worth saying that the post fit naturally into a rhythm of careful reading, and a stop at freshfindstore extended the same rhythm, content that pairs well with how I actually read rather than demanding a different mode is content well calibrated to its likely audience and this site has clearly thought about that consistently.

  6. Pleasant surprise, the post delivered more than the headline promised, and a stop at modernhomecollection continued that pattern of under promising and over delivering, the rarest combination on the modern web where most content does the opposite by promising the world and delivering thin recycled summaries instead each time you click on something interesting.

  7. Started this morning and finished at lunch with a small sense of having spent the time well, and a look at goldenhillgallery extended that satisfaction into the afternoon, content that fits naturally into the rhythm of a working day rather than demanding a dedicated reading block is increasingly the kind I prefer.

  8. After reading several posts back to back the consistent voice across them is impressive, and a stop at purewavechoice continued that voice consistency, sites that maintain a single coherent voice across many pieces by potentially many writers represent serious editorial discipline and this one has clearly developed the institutional consistency needed for that.

  9. Great work on keeping things readable, the post never drags or repeats itself which I really appreciate, and a stop at discovermoreideas added a bit more context that fit naturally with what was already said here, no need to read everything twice to get the point being made today.

  10. Better signal to noise ratio than most places I check on this kind of topic, and a look at wildsandcollection kept that going, every paragraph here carries something worth reading rather than padding out the page to hit some arbitrary length target that search engines reward but readers ignore as soon as they notice it.

  11. The UFC’s event in Baku is the inaugural UFC event in Azerbaijan, a 12-fight UFC Fight Night card on Saturday, June 27, 2026 at the Crystal Hall in Baku.

  12. Liked how the post handled an objection I was forming as I read, and a stop at goldenlanecreations similarly anticipated where my thinking was going next, the rare writer who can predict reader concerns and address them in advance is doing something most online content fails to do despite that being basic editorial work.

  13. Reading this gave me a small framework I expect to use going forward, and a stop at globalridgeemporium extended that framework, content that produces transferable mental models rather than just specific facts is content with multiplicative value and this site is providing those models at a rate that justifies extra attention from me regularly.

  14. A piece that read as if the writer was thinking carefully rather than just typing fluently, and a look at takeactionnow continued that considered quality, the difference between fluent typing and careful thinking shows up in writing and this site reads as the product of thought rather than just the product of language fluency apparently.

  15. Now organising my browser bookmarks to give this site easier access, and a look at originpeakboutique earned the same organisational priority, the small acts of digital housekeeping I do for sites I expect to use often are themselves a measure of trust and this site has triggered the trust based housekeeping behaviour from me clearly.

  16. Reading this on a phone at a coffee shop and finding it perfectly suited to that context, and a stop at globalgiftmarket continued the comfortable mobile experience, content that works across reading conditions without compromising on substance is increasingly important and this site has clearly thought about the whole reader experience here.

  17. A main card featuring seven fights and no undercard prelims on the White House South Lawn. Ilia Topuria puts his lightweight championship on the line against Justin Gaethje.

  18. My usual response to new bookmarks is to forget them but this one I have already returned to twice, and a look at explorelimitlessgrowth pulled me back a third time, the actual return rate to bookmarked sites is the real measure of value and this one is clearing that measure at a notable rate already.

  19. Bookmark added in three places to make sure I do not lose the link, and a look at brightgiftmarket got the same redundant treatment, sites I am afraid to lose are the rare keepers and this is clearly one of them based on what I have read so far across this and a couple of related posts.

  20. Now adjusting my mental list of reliable sites for this topic, and a stop at growandflourish reinforced the adjustment, the small ongoing curation work of maintaining trusted sources is one of the actual practical activities of careful reading and this site has earned a permanent place on my list for this particular subject.

  21. Took a quick scan first and then went back to read properly because the post deserved it, and a stop at dailyvalueworld kept me reading carefully too, the kind of writing that earns a slower second pass rather than getting skimmed and forgotten is something I value highly when I happen to find it.

  22. Left me wanting to read more rather than feeling burned out, that is a good sign, and a look at everwoodsupply confirmed there is plenty more here to explore, the kind of writing that builds appetite rather than killing it which is a rare quality on the modern open internet today across most categories of content.

  23. This actually answered the question I had been searching for, and after I checked trendchoicecenter I had a few more pieces I had not realised I needed, that is the sign of a site that knows what its readers want before they even know how to ask it which is impressive.

  24. Reading this gave me something to think about for the rest of the afternoon, and after rusticfieldmarket I had even more to mull over, the kind of post that lingers in the background of your day rather than evaporating immediately is genuinely valuable in an attention economy that punishes depth rather than rewarding it.

  25. Genuinely useful read, the points are practical and easy to apply right away, and a quick look at everfieldhome confirmed that this site is consistent in that approach, looking forward to digging through the rest of it when I get the chance to sit down properly later in the week or this weekend.

  26. Well structured and easy to read, that combination is rarer than people think, and a stop at bestseasonstore confirmed the same standard runs across the rest of the site, definitely the kind of place I will be coming back to when this topic comes up in conversation later again over the weeks ahead.

  27. A small editorial detail caught my attention, the way headings related to body text, and a look at modernshoppingcorner maintained that careful relationship, structural details like that show up to readers who notice them and the writers here have clearly thought about every level of the piece rather than just the words.

  28. Honestly slowed down to read this carefully which is not my default, and a look at futureharborhome kept me in that careful reading mode, the kind of writing that demands attention by being worth attention is rare in a media environment full of content engineered to be skimmed not read with any real focus today.

  29. Reading this with my morning coffee turned into reading the related posts with my morning coffee, and a stop at everhollowbazaar stretched the morning further, content that pulls breakfast into a reading session rather than just accompanying it is content that has earned a higher claim on my attention than the average article does.

  30. Looking forward to seeing what gets published next month, and a look at pureharborstudio extended that anticipation across the broader site, finding myself looking forward to a sites future content rather than just consuming its existing content is a stronger commitment level than I usually reach with new finds and this site triggered that.

  31. Bookmark added in three places to make sure I do not lose the link, and a look at globalshoppingzone got the same redundant treatment, sites I am afraid to lose are the rare keepers and this is clearly one of them based on what I have read so far across this and a couple of related posts.

  32. Liked how the writer used real examples instead of theoretical ones to make the points stick, and a stop at findamazingproducts added even more concrete examples, this is the kind of practical approach that respects readers who actually want to apply what they learn rather than just nodding along passively without doing anything useful.

  33. Really like that the writer trusts the reader to follow simple logic without restating every previous point, and a stop at modernfashionworld kept that respect going, treating an audience as capable adults rather than as people who need constant hand holding makes a noticeable difference in the reading experience for me.

  34. Once you find a site like this the search for similar voices begins, and a look at purefashioncollection extended the search energy, finding a high quality reference point makes the gap between it and adjacent sources visible in a way it was not before and this site has provided that high reference point across multiple recent visits.

  35. Worth recommending broadly to anyone who reads on the topic, and a look at globalcrestfinds only confirms that, the rare combination of accessibility and depth in this site makes it suitable for both newcomers and people who already know the area which is hard to pull off in any blog format today and rarely managed.

  36. Reading this in my last reading slot of the day was a good way to end, and a stop at silveroakstudio provided a satisfying close to the reading session, content that ends a day well rather than agitating it before sleep is the kind I value increasingly and this site fits that role for me consistently now.

  37. If patience for careful reading is rare these days finding sites that reward it is rarer still, and a stop at freshfashiondeal extended that rare reward, the diminishing returns on shallow content reading have made me more selective about where to spend reading time and this site is meeting the higher selectivity bar consistently.

  38. On June 14, 2026, the UFC descends upon the South Lawn of the White House for the most politically tense evening of fights in the promotion’s history.

  39. The lack of unnecessary jargon made the post accessible without sacrificing accuracy, and a look at apexhelm continued in the same accessible style, technical topics often hide behind specialised vocabulary but here the writer trusts the reader to keep up with plain language and that trust pays off nicely throughout the entire post.

  40. Came away feeling slightly smarter than I was when I started, that is a real win, and a stop at discoverfindsmarket added a bit more to that, the rare site that actually transfers some of its knowledge to the reader in a way that sticks rather than just creating an illusion of learning briefly.

  41. Now organising my browser bookmarks to give this site easier access, and a look at boldcrestfinds earned the same organisational priority, the small acts of digital housekeeping I do for sites I expect to use often are themselves a measure of trust and this site has triggered the trust based housekeeping behaviour from me clearly.

  42. Reading this in the time it took to drink half a cup of coffee, and a stop at sunsetgrovestore fit naturally into the second half, content that respects the rhythms of a typical morning is content with practical fit and this site has the kind of length and pacing that works for the way I actually read.

  43. Skipped the comments to avoid spoilers and came back later to find them genuinely worth reading, and a stop at openplainstrading extended that surprised respect, when the discussion below a post matches the quality of the post itself you have found something special and this site appears to attract that kind of audience.

  44. Thanks for the practical examples scattered through the post rather than abstract theory only, and a look at freshfashionoutlet continued that grounded style, abstract points are easier to remember when paired with concrete situations and the writers here clearly understand how readers actually retain information from blog content reading sessions.

  45. Reading this slowly because the writing rewards a slower pace, and a stop at yourstylecorner did the same, the pace at which I read content is something I now use as a quality signal and writing that earns a slower pace earns my attention as a reader looking for substance these days.

  46. Probably going to mention this site in a write up I am working on later this month, and a stop at discovernewcollection provided more material for that potential mention, content worth referencing in my own published work rather than just personal reading is content with the highest endorsement level and this site has earned that endorsement.

  47. Started smiling at one paragraph because the writing was just nice, and a look at globaltrendcollection produced a couple more such moments, prose that produces small spontaneous reactions in the reader is doing more than just transferring information and the writers here are clearly hitting that level fairly consistently throughout pieces.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *