The Pentagon fired the editor-in-chief and publisher of Stars and Stripes, the U.S. military newspaper that has covered American service members since the Civil War, after they publicly pushed back against Defense Department attempts to influence editorial coverage.
Editor-in-chief Erik Slavin told CBS News he was dismissed for insubordination following an interview in which he outlined disagreements with the Department of Defense. Publisher Max Lederer, who had served since 2007 and announced his retirement three days earlier, was also notified of his termination. Reporter Lara Korte confirmed she was fired as well.
Clash Over Editorial Independence
The dismissals followed weeks of escalating tensions between Stars and Stripes leadership and Pentagon officials. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had been critical of the media since taking office in 2025, and the department earlier this year said it wanted to steer Stars and Stripes coverage away from woke distractions.
Slavin drew national attention last month during a CBS Sunday Morning interview when he was asked about red lines. His response: If told not to run a perfectly accurate story and instead run something written by the Pentagon, that would be a red line.
The firings came just days after Stars and Stripes reported on grim conditions for crew members aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, a story that drew fresh criticism of the ongoing war against Iran. The carrier had been deployed since before the conflict began in February.
Erosion of Military Press Freedom
Before Lederer announced his retirement, the Pentagon installed active duty Navy Captain William Urban as military deputy to the publisher, a move widely interpreted as eroding the publication editorial independence. Democratic lawmakers criticized the appointment.
Lederer chose to step down because he realized his philosophy of leadership and understanding of the value and mission of Stars and Stripes differed in fundamental ways from plans the Pentagon has for the organization.
Stars and Stripes, partially funded by the Defense Department, has long maintained editorial independence from the military chain of command. The publication serves U.S. service members and their families worldwide with news and information.
Reporter Korte posted on X that she was fired for telling a CBS reporter she worked for Stars and Stripes, not the Pentagon, not any administration, and not any policy maker. The mass dismissal raises new questions about press freedom within the U.S. military establishment under the current administration.
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