The Pentagon has appointed Chris Devine, a Department of Defense (DOD) public affairs official, to serve as the acting publisher of Stars and Stripes. Devine, a former Marine Corps colonel, assumes the role during a period of internal tension at the military-funded newspaper. The appointment comes only weeks after the publication’s leadership dismissed three senior staff members, citing insubordination as the primary reason for their termination.

Stars and Stripes operates as an independent news organization, though it receives funding from the DOD. The recent firings and the subsequent appointment of a DOD official to the publisher role have raised questions regarding the editorial independence of the paper. While the Pentagon maintains that the leadership changes are necessary for organizational discipline, critics and observers are monitoring whether the installation of a career public affairs official will influence the outlet's reporting standards or its relationship with the military establishment. The transition in leadership is expected to be a point of focus for those concerned with maintaining the publication's traditional autonomy from military oversight.