Stars and Stripes Under Pentagon Pressure | Denver News

The Pentagon’s push to modernize Stars and Stripes has sparked a free speech showdown, as the historic military newspaper faces censorship limits — no comics, no AP wire stories — and lawsuits claiming First Amendment violations. Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin, baffled by terms like “woke distractions,” vows to resist editorial control, even as former staff like Jacqueline Smith, fired for criticizing the changes, warn the paper risks becoming a Pentagon propaganda tool. The battle hinges on whether Stars and Stripes can stay independent — or become just another PR mouthpiece for the military. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/6efce5f9570bb2de