The dismissal on August 21 of key personnel at Stars and Stripes, a military newspaper, signifies the Trump administration’s attempts to control information on government actions. The publisher, editor, and a reporter were fired after the paper exposed poor conditions faced by sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln. The conditions included shortages of food and water and faulty plumbing, which were reported to affect morale and mental health.
President Trump denied these reports, asserting the ship was well-maintained, although he did confirm its imminent return to the U.S. The administration seems to mimic tactics seen in nations lacking press freedom, aiming to suppress failures and propagate false successes.
The Freedom of the Press Foundation records numerous instances where Trump has sought to undermine independent reporting. These include filing costly lawsuits against media outlets, attempting to cut funding for National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service, nearly dissolving Voice of America, banning disfavored journalists, and threatening broadcast licenses over critical coverage.
Trump desires Americans to accept his statements, like the false claim of winning the 2020 election, while dismissing truthful reports. Yet, polling numbers indicate a declining trust among the public.
The firings and new limitations on Stars and Stripes restrict service members’ access to truthful military and governmental news. The staff are civilian employees of the Defense Department, which partly funds the paper. Since 1993, a policy required the paper to deliver news without censorship, but the Pentagon revoked this guideline in January.
A spokesmen declared the department’s intent to “modernize” the newspaper, removing “woke” content and Associated Press stories, which significantly limits content.
The changes reflect censorship rather than modernization, reshaping Stars and Stripes into a tool for favorable news about the administration. The firing of the ombudsman, after she warned of threats to editorial independence, led to a lawsuit. Stars and Stripes has upheld this independence since World War I, being praised by General Pershing and General Eisenhower for its uncensored contributions to troop morale.
Trump criticizes most media as dishonest and extremist, labeling it as an enemy similar to historical dictators like Hitler, Stalin, and Mao. However, the media plays a vital role in making government actions transparent and holding officials accountable.
Presidential conflicts with the media are common, but Trump’s approach has been aggressive, surpassing even Nixon’s attempts to control unfavorable coverage. At 80, it’s unlikely Trump will change his stance. It’s crucial that future leaders value the freedom of the press, as emphasized by Thomas Jefferson in 1786: “Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.”
A. Scott Bolden, the commentator, is an attorney and former chair of the Washington, D.C. Democratic Party.