US Department of Defense Dismisses Leadership of Stars and Stripes

The US Department of Defense has dismissed several leading staff members of the military newspaper Stars and Stripes, including the editor in chief, the publisher, and the reporter responsible for the Middle East. The publication is partially state funded, and its journalists are formally employees of the Pentagon. Editor in chief Erik Slavin attributed his dismissal to his stance against censorship, specifically citing a CBS News interview where he defended the right to free reporting and rejected editorial interference from the Pentagon. Reporter Lara Korte stated on X that she was fired for insubordination after telling a CBS reporter that she works for the newspaper rather than for the Pentagon or political decision makers. Publisher Max Lederer, who had announced his retirement three days prior, was also notified of his dismissal. Lederer previously stated that his understanding of the mission of the newspaper differed fundamentally from the plans the Pentagon has for the publication. These events follow the installation of Navy Captain William Urban as deputy military publisher, a move that some Democratic members of Congress viewed as a reduction in the publication's independence. The Pentagon, now officially called the Department of War under the leadership of Pete Hegseth, previously stated its intention to free the newspaper from woke distractions. The dismissals occurred shortly after the paper reported on precarious conditions for crew members aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln during a long deployment in the Middle East.