Stars and Stripes could cease publication on Sept. 30 without DoD funding, lawmakers warn [View all]

Stars and Stripes, the U.S. military’s editorially independent newspaper, could be shuttered at the end of the month and disappear altogether early next year, according to a letter sent Wednesday from 15 senators to Defense Secretary Mark Esper.

The Pentagon acknowledged in February that it had eliminated all funding for Stars and Stripes – roughly $15.5 million – from its Fiscal 2021 budget request. Esper later told reporters the department needed to invest money meant to fund Stars and Stripes “into higher-priority issues.”

(Disclosure: This reporter worked for Stars and Stripes from August 2005 until December 2011).

Currently, the Defense Department plans to cease publication of Stars and Stripes on Sept. 30 and dissolve the organization by Jan. 31, 2021, according to the 15 senators, who asked Esper to keep funding Stars and Stripes while lawmakers work to restore the newspaper’s funding.

“Stars and Stripes is an essential part of our nation's freedom of the press that serves the very population charged with defending that freedom,” the senators wrote. “Therefore, we respectfully request that you rescind your decision to discontinue support for Stars and Stripes and that you reinstate the funding necessary for it to continue operations.”


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