The Pentagon has terminated the publisher, editor-in-chief, and a reporter of Stars and Stripes, the U.S. military's independent newspaper, citing insubordination.
Longtime publisher Max Lederer and editor-in-chief Erik Slavin received separation notices on Friday, according to a Pentagon official. Reporter Lara Korte also confirmed she received a notice of her dismissal.
Slavin stated that his termination stemmed from an interview with CBS last month, where he reportedly said that censorship of news for service members would constitute a "red line." The Pentagon's public affairs office charged him with insubordination, but Slavin maintained that Stars and Stripes must remain editorially independent as required by law and departmental policies.
Lederer, who had served at Stars and Stripes for over 30 years, had announced his retirement earlier in the week, with his last day slated for September 30. He indicated in an email obtained by The Washington Post that his leadership philosophy and understanding of the publication's mission differed fundamentally from the direction set by the Department of Defense leadership. Despite his planned retirement, the Pentagon moved to fire him on Friday.
William Urban, an active-duty Navy captain and public affairs officer who was recently appointed as Lederer's deputy, is set to replace Lederer. Lederer stated he was not consulted on this decision.
This development follows a broader announcement by the Defense Department in January to overhaul Stars and Stripes, aiming to combat what it described as "woke distractions." Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated at the time that the publication would be "custom tailored to our warfighters," focusing on "warfighting, weapons systems, fitness, lethality, survivability, and ALL THINGS MILITARY," and moving away from "repurposed DC gossip columns" and AP reprints.
The firings occur shortly after Stars and Stripes published a report on the mental health of sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln during its deployment. In a letter released Friday, Urban outlined plans for the publication's modernization, including a focus on digital formats, social media, and the integration of artificial intelligence. He acknowledged potential challenges, stating, "I make no promises that the ride ahead will not be bumpy."