Pentagon Fires Stars and Stripes Staffers
The Pentagon dismissed Stars and Stripes publisher Max Lederer, editor-chief Erik Slavin, and Middle East correspondent Lara Korte after they defended the newspaper’s editorial independence, prompting the Committee to Protect Journalists to call for congressional protection.
Pentagon Dismisses Stars and Stripes Staff
The Pentagon dismissed Stars and Stripes publisher Max Lederer squad, editor-chief Erik Slavin, and Middle East correspondent Lara Korte on August 21 after they spoke in favor of the newspaper’s long-held editorial independence from the Department of Defense, which partly funds the outlet fixtures stats.
Broader Pentagon Attempts to Shape Reporting
The firing follows a broader pattern of Pentagon attempts to shape reporting on U.S. military action. In April, the Defense Department removed Stars and Stripes ombudsman Jacqueline Smith after Secretary Pete Hegseth announced he would impose editorial control to eliminate “woke distractions.” Sean Parnell, Hegseth’s spokesman, tweeted in January that the paper would be refocused on “warfighting, weapons systems, fitness, lethality, survivability and ALL THINGS MILITARY,” adding that “No more Associated Press reprints.” The Pentagon’s actions raise concerns about government interference in a publication that receives partial funding from the Department of Defense.
CPJ Condemns the Firing
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has condemned the dismissals as a direct attack on press freedom and transparency. CPJ’s regional director for the Americas, Jose Zamora, said the “brazen firing of senior Stars and Stripes staffers raises serious concerns over how far the Pentagon is willing to go to control the narrative surrounding military actions and spending.” He added that journalists covering U.S. military action must be free to report in the public interest without fear of government retaliation.
Call for Congressional Protection
CPJ is urging Congress to codify Stars and Stripes’ editorial independence by supporting a proposal in the Senate version of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act. If passed, the proposal would protect the outlet from censorship, propaganda, and Pentagon interference. The newspaper has long maintained editorial independence, a stance that is now under threat.
The Pentagon’s dismissal of Stars and Stripes staffers follows the outlet’s reporting on deteriorating living conditions aboard the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln during a prolonged deployment in the Middle East. The Department of Defense has been accused of attempting to control the narrative surrounding military actions and spending. CPJ has requested clarification from the Pentagon on editorial changes at Stars and Stripes, but has not received an immediate reply.
