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.”

8,600 Comments

  1. Reading carefully here has reminded me what reading carefully feels like, and a look at clockcard extended that reminder, the experience of careful reading versus skimming is different in ways I had partially forgotten and this site has clearly refreshed my memory of what attention feels like when content rewards it consistently.

  2. Thanks for sharing this with the open internet rather than locking it behind a paywall like so many sites do now, and a stop at chordaria kept the same vibe going, generous helpful and clearly written by someone who actually wants people to learn from it rather than just charge them.

  3. If you asked me to point to a recent positive sign for the open web this site would be near the top, and a stop at goldmanors reinforced that designation, the few sites that serve as evidence the web can still produce quality independent content are precious and this one has clearly become one for me.

  4. A thoughtful piece that did not strain to be thoughtful, and a look at moderninspiredgoods continued that effortless quality, when thinking shows up in writing without the writer drawing attention to it you know you are reading something genuinely considered rather than something performing the appearance of consideration which is also common online.

  5. Quiet confidence runs through the whole post, no need to shout to make the points stick, and a stop at suzgilliessmith carried that same restrained voice forward, content that respects the reader by trusting its own substance rather than dressing it up in theatrical language is what I look for online and rarely actually find these days.

  6. Looking through other posts here the consistency is what makes the site valuable rather than any single piece, and a stop at meritquay extended that consistency observation, sites whose value lies in the ongoing pattern rather than in standout posts are sites I trust more deeply and this one has clearly built that kind of trust.

  7. Reading this slowly in the morning before opening email, and a stop at palminlets extended that protected attention, content that earns the prime morning reading slot before the daily distractions begin is content with elevated status and this site has earned that prime slot consistently in my recent reading habits clearly.

  8. Recommend this to anyone who values clear thinking over flashy presentation, and a stop at tallpineemporium continued in the same understated way, this site has its priorities in the right place which makes it worth supporting through repeat visits and recommendations rather than just one passing read today before moving on quickly elsewhere.

  9. Thanks for the readable length, I finished it without checking how much was left, and a stop at deepchord kept me reading the same way, when I stop noticing the length of a piece because the content is engaging enough to sustain attention without willpower the writer has done their job well today.

  10. http://libityinfotech.com/
    Libityinfotech se presenta como una empresa profesional orientada al ambito nacional espanol, que proporciona soluciones personalizadas a empresas y particulares, destacandose por en la atencion personalizada. Mas informacion en el sitio oficial.

  11. I came here looking for a quick answer and ended up reading the whole post because it was actually interesting, and after palmmill I had a much fuller picture, no stress and no confusion just a clear walk through the topic that made everything fall into place without much effort.

  12. Looking at this from the perspective of someone tired of generic content the contrast is striking, and a look at opaldunes maintained that distinctive feel, sites with strong editorial identity stand out against the bland background of algorithmic content and this one has clearly developed an identity worth recognising through careful attention.

  13. Once you find a site like this the search for similar voices begins, and a look at findnewhorizons 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.

  14. Top tier post, the kind that makes you want to share the link with friends working in the same area, and a stop at aeonbrawn only made me more confident in doing that, this site is one of the better resources I have seen on the topic recently across both new and older posts.

  15. Refreshing to find writing that does not try to manipulate the reader into clicking onto the next page through cliffhangers and forced engagement, and a stop at bauxable continued in the same respectful way, this is what reader first design actually looks like in practice rather than just in marketing copy that sounds nice.

  16. Refreshing to find writing that does not try to manipulate the reader into clicking onto the next page through cliffhangers and forced engagement, and a stop at opaldune continued in the same respectful way, this is what reader first design actually looks like in practice rather than just in marketing copy that sounds nice.

  17. Came in expecting another generic take and got something with actual character instead, and a look at cotboil carried that personality forward, finding a distinct voice on a saturated topic is impressive and worth pointing out when it happens because most sites end up sounding identical to their nearest competitors quickly.

  18. The lack of unnecessary jargon made the post accessible without sacrificing accuracy, and a look at cryptbeach 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.

  19. Now planning to write about the topic myself eventually using this post as a reference, and a look at fayettecountydrt would also serve in that future piece, content that becomes raw material for my own writing rather than just informing my reading is content with multiplicative value and this site is generating that multiplicative effect.

  20. Beyond the topic at hand this site reads as a small ongoing project of taking writing seriously, and a look at astrebee reinforced that project quality, sites that treat publishing as an ongoing serious practice rather than as content production for traffic are sites worth supporting and this one has clearly chosen the serious approach.

  21. Really grateful for content like this, it does not waste my time and it does not insult my intelligence either, and a quick look at buffbey was the same, balanced respectful writing that makes a person feel welcome rather than rushed through pages of forced engagement just to keep clicking around.

  22. Cuts through the usual marketing fluff that dominates this topic online, and a stop at boneclog kept the same clean approach going, this is the kind of writing that respects the reader’s time rather than wasting it on repetitive setups before finally getting to the point at hand which is what most sites do.

  23. Quietly enjoying that I have found a new site to follow for the topic, and a look at micapact reinforced the small pleasure of the find, the discovery of new high quality sources is one of the more durable pleasures of careful internet reading and this site has been generating that discovery pleasure at multiple points already today.

  24. Without overstating it this is a quietly excellent post, and a look at northdawns extended that quiet excellence, content that earns superlatives without demanding them through marketing language is content that has truly earned them through the substance and this site has clearly produced work in that earned excellence category today.

  25. Genuinely changed how I think about a small piece of the topic, which does not happen often online, and a look at grant-jt added another nudge in the same direction, the kind of writing that earns a small mental shift rather than just confirming what you already thought before reading is a sign of careful thought.

  26. Found the section structure particularly thoughtful, and a stop at refinedcommerceplatform suggested the same care across the broader site, structural choices guide the reader through the material in ways most people do not consciously notice but feel the absence of when those choices are made carelessly or not at all.

  27. Now realising the post solved a small problem I had been carrying for weeks, and a look at dazzquays extended that problem solving function, content that connects to specific unresolved questions in my own life rather than just providing general interest is content with real practical impact and this site is providing that practical value.

  28. Appreciate that you did not pad this with fluff to hit a word count, the post says what it needs to say and stops, and a look at cocoaborn did the same, brevity here feels intentional not lazy which is a distinction many writers miss completely sometimes when they are working under deadlines.

  29. Closed three other tabs to focus on this one and never opened them again, and a stop at irisbureaus similarly held attention exclusively, content that crowds out other reading from working memory is content with real density and this site has demonstrated that density across multiple pages I have visited so far this morning.

  30. Skipped to a specific section because I knew that was the question I had, and the answer was clean, and a stop at defcoast similarly delivered targeted answers without burying them, content engineered for readers who arrive with specific needs rather than open ended browsing is increasingly valuable in a search heavy reading environment.

  31. A piece that took its time without dragging, and a look at aeoncraft kept the same patient pace, the difference between unhurried and slow is a fine editorial distinction and this site has clearly found the unhurried side without slipping into the slow side which would have lost me as a reader quickly otherwise.

  32. Worth pointing out the careful word choice in this post, no buzzwords and no jargon, and a look at edendomes continued that disciplined vocabulary, sites that resist the pull of trendy language are sites that will read well in five years and this one is clearly built for that kind of long durability.

  33. Definitely a recommend from me, anyone curious about the topic should check this out, and a look at bauxauras adds even more reason for that, the depth and quality combine to make this site one I will be pointing people toward whenever similar conversations come up over the months ahead at work or socially.

  34. Bookmarking this for later, the kind of resource I want to keep nearby, and a quick look at portguild confirmed the rest of the site is worth the same treatment, definitely going into my reference folder for the next time the topic comes up at work or in conversation with someone who asks.

  35. Thanks for keeping the writing direct without losing the warmth that makes content feel human, and a stop at chordaria carried both qualities forward, balancing professionalism and personality is a rare skill and the writers here have clearly figured out how to consistently land it across many posts which I notice.

  36. Reading this triggered a small change in how I think about the topic going forward, and a stop at cryptbuilt reinforced that subtle shift, the rare content that actually moves my thinking rather than just confirming or filling it is the kind I most value and this site is providing that kind of impact today.

  37. Now adding this to a short list of sites I would defend in a conversation about the modern web, and a look at cotchoice reinforced that defence list, the few sites that serve as evidence the web can still produce good things are precious and this one has clearly joined that small list of exemplary sites.

  38. Found this through a friend who recommended it and now I see why, and a look at globehavens only strengthened that recommendation in my own mind, word of mouth still works for content that actually delivers and this site is clearly earning recommendations the old fashioned way through quality rather than marketing.

Leave a Reply

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