The Pentagon on Friday fired the editor-in-chief of Stars and Stripes, publisher Max Lederer, and Middle East reporter Lara Korte for insubordination after they spoke publicly in defense of the military newspaper's editorial independence. Erik Slavin, the outgoing editor-in-chief, said he received a notice of separation after giving a CBS interview that objected to potential censorship by the U.S. military.
Stars and Stripes is a military news outlet partly funded by the Pentagon but historically operating with editorial independence. The firings come amid an ongoing clash between the Trump administration and major news organizations over press access and coverage.
What the Right Is Saying
Defense Department officials characterized the dismissals as legitimate exercises of supervisory authority. The Pentagon has argued it has the right to set editorial direction for a publication it funds.
In January, Sean Parnell, Hegseth's spokesman, outlined the administration's vision for Stars and Stripes on X: "Stars and Stripes will be custom tailored to our warfighters. It will focus on warfighting, weapons systems, fitness, lethality, survivability and ALL THINGS MILITARY. No more repurposed DC gossip columns; no more Associated Press reprints."
The administration has maintained that outlets receiving government funding must align with taxpayer priorities. The Pentagon has also moved to eliminate what it describes as "woke distractions" from military communications.
What the Left Is Saying
Democratic lawmakers criticized the dismissals as an attack on press freedom. Three Democratic senators wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth this week questioning why Navy Capt. William Urban had been installed as deputy publisher at Stars and Stripes without Publisher Max Lederer's prior knowledge. The installation occurred weeks before Lederer announced his retirement.
National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr. called the firing of Slavin another example of the Pentagon attempting to dictate military coverage. "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," Schoeff said.
Reporter Lara Korte posted on X that she was fired for telling a CBS reporter: "I work for Stars and Stripes — not the Pentagon, not the administration, and not any policy maker." Slavin stated he stood by the principle that "Stars and Stripes must remain editorially independent, as required by law and by the department's own policies."
What the Numbers Show
Stars and Stripes has operated for over 150 years, serving U.S. military personnel worldwide. The publication operates under Title 44 of the U.S. Code, which establishes its editorial independence from military censorship.
The Trump administration in its second term has taken an aggressive posture toward multiple news organizations. Actions have included curtailing Pentagon press corps access and pursuing legal and regulatory actions against The Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press, and The New York Times. The FCC has also been deployed against broadcast networks.
Publisher Max Lederer had been at Stars and Stripes for three decades, serving as publisher since 2007 before his abrupt dismissal just days after announcing retirement effective end of September.
The Bottom Line
The dismissals mark an escalation in tensions between the administration and independent media. Slavin and Korte maintain their actions were protected exercises of professional principle rather than insubordination.
Navy Capt. William Urban, who was installed as deputy publisher without Lederer's knowledge, said he is committed to editorially independent journalism while acknowledging he has no formal journalism experience but cited 20 years in public affairs and communications. It remains unclear whether Urban will assume the top publishing role following these dismissals.