Pentagon Appoints Public Affairs Official as Acting Publisher of Stars and Stripes

The Pentagon has appointed Christian Devine, executive director of its public affairs office, as the acting publisher of Stars and Stripes, the U.S. military's independent newspaper. Devine, a former Marine Corps colonel, will continue his current duties while leading the newspaper on an interim basis until a permanent publisher is selected.

"The Pentagon is proud to appoint Chris Devine to serve as acting publisher of Stars and Stripes," said chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell. "As a former Marine Corps colonel and a seasoned public affairs leader, Chris brings unmatched expertise, strategic vision and a commitment to ensuring Stars and Stripes maintains editorial independence while delivering exclusive, mission-focused reporting that directly serves America’s war fighters and their families." Parnell added that Devine's leadership will aim to "modernize Stars and Stripes and to strengthen its mission."

Devine expressed his commitment to the newspaper's legacy, stating, "It’s a dynamic media organization with a prestigious history and purpose, and I hope I can lend a strong arm during the interim to the men and women who continue to contribute to its notable legacy."

Stars and Stripes, which has been publishing continuously since World War II, describes itself as a source of independent news for the U.S. military community. The Pentagon funds approximately half of the newspaper's annual budget and announced plans earlier in the year to overhaul its operations.

In January, Parnell stated the Department of Defense's intention to refocus Stars and Stripes on its "original mission: reporting for our warfighters." He indicated plans to modernize operations and redirect content away from what he termed "woke distractions that syphon morale," emphasizing a shift toward topics such as warfighting, weapons systems, fitness, and lethality.

This appointment follows a shake-up in August when the newspaper's longtime publisher Max Lederer, editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, and Middle East reporter Lara Korte were dismissed. A source familiar with the situation at the time suggested the firings were related to Slavin and Korte's participation in a "CBS Sunday Morning" segment discussing the Pentagon's overhaul plans, and Lederer's subsequent refusal to terminate them.

Lederer, Slavin, and Korte have filed a lawsuit against the Pentagon, alleging their terminations violated their First Amendment and statutory rights and that they face potential retaliation. In September, a U.S. District Court judge denied their request for a temporary restraining order to reverse the firings, finding they did not meet the burden of proof for a preliminary injunction.