Pentagon Fires Stars and Stripes Editor-in-Chief, Publisher, and Reporter

The Pentagon has taken a drastic step by firing the editor-in-chief, publisher, and a civilian reporter of the esteemed military newspaper Stars and Stripes. The termination notices were confirmed by a Pentagon source to the newspaper.

Editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, publisher Max Lederer Jr., and civilian reporter Lara Korte, who covers the Middle East, have all been let go. The firings have sparked alarm among journalists and raised concerns about the Pentagon’s intentions.

Slavin was fired for insubordination after he publicly stated that he would consider any attempt by the Pentagon to interfere with Stars and Stripes’ editorial independence as a ‘red line.’ In an interview, Slavin said, ‘Yes, I do’ have ‘red lines,’ and gave an example of how he would not compromise on running a perfectly accurate story.

Korte, who was informed that she had been fired for insubordination due to her remarks in the interview, said, ‘I consider it a great privilege to live alongside members of the military and share their stories. It’s a shame for the institution and service members, who swore to defend the Constitution and deserve the right to a free and independent press.’

Lederer, who announced his retirement on Tuesday, was fired after more than 30 years of working for the paper. Captain William Urban, the military deputy to Lederer, published an ‘open letter to stakeholders’ in Stars and Stripes, which did not directly address the terminations but spoke of increasing the paper’s readership through digital strategies.

The firings have been met with strong criticism from the National Press Club. President Mark Schoeff Jr. called the moves ‘another brazen attempt by the Pentagon to dictate coverage of the military and should be immediately reversed.’ He cited the April firing of the newspaper’s ombudsman and a March memo that imposed content restrictions and tightened the Pentagon’s oversight of the newsroom.

Schoeff added, ‘Firing a newspaper editor after he publicly defended his newsroom’s editorial independence is deeply troubling, and it should concern every journalist and every member of the U.S. military who depends on independent reporting.’

The Pentagon’s actions have been seen as an assault on the fundamental principle that journalists must be free to report the news without fear of retaliation from government officials. The firings have raised concerns about the Pentagon’s intentions and the future of Stars and Stripes as an independent publication.

The Pentagon’s actions have been met with strong criticism from the National Press Club. President Mark Schoeff Jr. called the moves ‘another brazen attempt by the Pentagon to dictate coverage of the military and should be immediately reversed.’

Stars and Stripes has long maintained editorial independence from the top leaders, despite being part of the Department of Defense. The paper has faced pressure under the administration of President Donald Trump, whose defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has repeatedly clashed with media covering the Pentagon.