Three staff members of the military news outlet Stars and Stripes have filed a federal lawsuit against the Pentagon, alleging their recent firings violated their First Amendment free speech rights. The lawsuit names Stars and Stripes publisher Max Lederer, editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, and Middle East reporter Lara Korte as plaintiffs.
The Pentagon, which provides partial funding for the publication, dismissed the three individuals last week. A Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment on the lawsuit's specific allegations.
According to the suit, Slavin was dismissed for insubordination after speaking out against potential U.S. military censorship in an interview with CBS News. Korte participated in the same interview. The lawsuit contends that their dismissals were retaliatory for publishing a report on deteriorating conditions aboard the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln. The plaintiffs assert that Stars and Stripes' historical editorial independence is crucial for its mission of delivering unbiased journalism to the U.S. military community, especially servicemembers and their families stationed abroad.
Lederer’s dismissal occurred shortly after he announced his retirement, set to take effect at the end of September. He stated that the Pentagon had appointed a new deputy publisher, an active-duty service member, to work under him without his prior consultation.
Attorneys from Democracy Defenders Fund, Lawyers for Good Government, Government Accountability Project, and a Yale Law School clinic are representing the plaintiffs. The lawsuit lists the Defense Department and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth among the defendants.