Pentagon Fires Stars and Stripes Chiefs Over Editorial Independence Dispute

The Pentagon has dismissed the editor-in-chief, publisher and a reporter of Stars and Stripes, the historic US military newspaper, following a growing dispute over editorial independence and the role of the Department of Defense in the publication’s coverage.

Editor-in-chief Erik Slavin told CBS News that he was fired for “insubordination” after discussing his disagreements with the Pentagon and its approach to the newspaper’s editorial decisions.

Reporter Lara Korte also confirmed that she was dismissed for the same reason after publicly stating that she worked for Stars and Stripes, rather than directly for the Pentagon, the administration or individual policymakers.

Publisher Max Lederer, who had served in the position since 2007, was also notified that he was being terminated.

His dismissal came only days after he announced his decision to retire from the newspaper. Lederer had planned to leave the position on September 30.

The latest developments have raised fresh concerns about the future of editorial independence at Stars and Stripes, which has covered the US military for more than a century and has a history dating back to the American Civil War.

Although the publication receives partial financial support from the Department of Defense, it has traditionally operated with editorial independence.

The dismissals came shortly after the newspaper published a report detailing difficult conditions experienced by crew members aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.

The report generated renewed criticism of President Donald Trump’s military campaign against Iran and the continued deployment of American forces in the Middle East.

The aircraft carrier had been deployed in the region before the conflict began in February.

The US military later announced the arrival of another carrier strike group, with Trump indicating that the USS Abraham Lincoln would eventually be replaced.

Slavin had previously become outspoken about what he described as attempts by Pentagon officials to interfere with the newspaper’s reporting.

During a CBS interview, he said one of his major red lines would be being told not to publish an accurate report and instead use a version written by the Pentagon.

Earlier this year, the Department of Defense said it wanted Stars and Stripes to move its coverage away from what officials described as “woke distractions,” a position that further intensified concerns among journalists and critics of the department.

Lederer, while announcing his retirement, said his philosophy of leadership and his understanding of the mission and value of Stars and Stripes differed fundamentally from the Pentagon’s plans for the organisation.

Concerns about military influence over the newspaper have also grown under Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has been strongly critical of the media since taking office in 2025.

Shortly before Lederer announced his retirement, active-duty US Navy Captain William Urban was appointed military deputy to the publisher.

The appointment was viewed by some Democratic lawmakers and other observers as another indication that Pentagon influence over the newspaper was increasing.

The latest firings are therefore likely to intensify the debate over the future of Stars and Stripes and whether the publication can continue to maintain its long-standing editorial independence while receiving funding and administrative support from the US military.

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