Stars and Stripes ombudsman fired after criticizing Pentagon efforts to control newspaper's editorial independence

Summary

Stars and Stripes ombudsman Jacqueline Smith reports she has been fired by the Pentagon after writing columns critical of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's attempts to control the newspaper's editorial content. Smith had been raising concerns about threats to the editorial independence of Stars and Stripes, a long-standing independent newspaper serving U.S. military personnel overseas. She describes the termination as cold and retaliatory, linked directly to her reporting on Pentagon censorship efforts.