Pentagon Fires Editor-in-Chief Amidst Staffing Changes and Subordination Allegations
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Erik Slavin told the Associated Press and The Washington Post he was dismissed for insubordination after a CBS interview in which he said such censorship would "constitute a red line." He maintained that the newspaper "must remain editorially independent."
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Associated PressSlavin said he was being fired “for stating in a CBS interview that hypothetical censorship of news for service members would constitute a red line.” He said he stands by the principle “that Stars and Stripes must remain editorially independent.”
The Guardian USSlavin hinted at tensions with the military brass in July when he said the “foxhole” he would be willing to die in would be over editorial independence from the Pentagon, which provides about 65% of Stars & Stripes’ funding.
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The Pentagon on Friday fired the editor-in-chief of Stars and Stripes, as well as its publisher and a reporter, the editor said. He said he was dismissed for insubordination after an interview he gave that objected to any potential censorship by the U.S. military.
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The HillPentagon fires Stars and Stripes editor-in-chief, publisher, reporter The Pentagon fired the publisher, editor-in-chief and at least one reporter at Stars and Stripes, a historically independent military news outlet, on Friday as the department has looked to reshape its coverage in recent months. The Defense Department (DOD) dismissed Erik Slavin, the editor-in-chief, publisher Max Lederer and Middle East correspondent Lara Korte, Star and…
The Guardian USThe Pentagon is reported to have fired the publisher and the editor of Stars & Stripes, the US military news outlet that has clashed with the Trump administration and armed forces brass over its partially taxpayer-funded reporting.
PBS NewsHourStars and Stripes editor, reporter fired for insubordination after doing CBS interview The Pentagon on Friday fired the editor-in-chief of Stars and Stripes and a top reporter for insubordination after they spoke publicly against any interference by the Defense Department in the military news outlet that has a long history of editorial independence.
USA TodayThe editor-in-chief of the military newspaper Stars and Stripes was fired by the Pentagon on Aug. 21 after condemning "hypothetical censorship" in an interview, multiple news outlets reported.
New York TimesPentagon Fires Editor and Publisher of Independent Military Publication The firings at Stars and Stripes also claimed a Middle East correspondent. They are the latest effort by the Pentagon to diminish the news outlet’s editorial independence.
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Earlier this week, publisher Max Lederer announced his retirement effective at the end of September. He too received a separation notice, according to Slavin, as did the Middle East reporter Lara Korte.
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The Guardian USPublisher Max Lederer and editor Erik Slavin received termination notices, CBS News reported on Friday. The cause cited was insubordination, and they have been given five days to appeal against their dismissals.
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Lederer, the second full-time civilian in the position, wrote in a staff memo that it had “become clear that my philosophy of leadership, and my understanding of the value and mission of Stars and Stripes, differ in fundamental ways from the direction the leadership of the Department of Defense has for the organization.”
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The Guardian US“It has become clear that my philosophy of leadership, and my understanding of value and mission of the Stars and Stripes, differ in fundamental ways from the direction of the leadership of the Department of Defense,” Lederer said in a letter to staff, which was posted on X.
3 details only one outlet reported
Independent claims that didn't surface elsewhere in our corpus. Treat as supplementary — not corroborated across outlets.
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01 USA Today In an Aug. 21 X post, Korte said her firing came after telling a CBS reporter "that I work for Stars and Stripes – not the Pentagon, not any administration, and not any policy maker."
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02 The Guardian US Leder and Slavin’s dismissals came days after the publication reported on crew conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier that have caused concern among veteran and military health experts.
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03 Associated Press Lederer made his announcement a few weeks after the Pentagon installed a new deputy publisher, an active duty service member, under Lederer at the newspaper without his prior knowledge. Three Democratic senators on Thursday wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, asking why the new deputy had been installed.
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