It also introduces an “interim policy” governing the newspaper effective immediately that Feinberg says replaces previous Pentagon instructions. Throughout those tussles, Stripes journalists were exempt from those access rules as Pentagon employees and continued to report independently from oversight from defense officials. The Post reported that applications for jobs at Stars and Stripes included a question about how applicants would support the president’s policies. After weeks of silence from the Pentagon on Stripes, the March memo suggests that the newspaper may soon experience more sweeping changes. Katherine Jacobsen, the U.S., Canada and Caribbean program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists, said the new Stripes policy adds to the Trump administration’s wider crackdown on the press.

Source: Washington Post March 14, 2026 06:27 UTC