The Pentagon has banned its own publication, Stars and Stripes, from attending a press conference held by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on the Iran war. The move is the latest in a series of restrictions on press coverage.
Matthew Adams, a reporter for Stars and Stripes, said on social media that the outlet was not approved to attend. Kevin Baron, another reporter, noted that the publication was established with editorial independence protected by Congress, not as a Pentagon mouthpiece.
Earlier this year, the Pentagon issued a memo demanding changes to Stars and Stripes, including a requirement to abide by 'good order and discipline'. The editor-in-chief, Erik Slavin, said he only learned of the new policies three days after they were issued, and that it is unclear if stories deemed inconsistent with the vague policy could lead to legal jeopardy.
Timothy Richardson of PEN America called the new guidelines a threat to the First Amendment and the independence Congress guaranteed. The crackdown comes as Hegseth and President Trump have been increasingly critical of media coverage of the Iran war.
