The Pentagon dismissed editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, publisher Max Lederer, and reporter Lara Korte from the Stars and Stripes newspaper on August 21, 2026, citing insubordination after the three publicly challenged Pentagon attempts to influence the paper's editorial independence [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
Slavin was fired after opposing Pentagon censorship, which he described as a clear "red line." In a CBS interview last month, he said, "Don’t run a perfectly accurate story, run this instead. Here it is, written by the Pentagon. That would be a red line." He also affirmed, "I stand by the principle that Stars and Stripes must remain editorially independent, as required by law and by the department’s own policies" [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
Lara Korte, a reporter covering the Middle East conflict, was also fired for publicly defending the newsroom's independence. Korte said, "Today, I was informed that the Department of Defense is firing me for insubordination after I told a CBS reporter that I work for Stars and Stripes — not the Pentagon, not any administration, and not any policy maker" [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
Max Lederer, who had announced his retirement on August 18 effective September 30, was terminated early by the Pentagon. He served as publisher for 19 years. Lederer cited fundamental differences with Pentagon leadership over the paper's mission and direction. He said, "It has become clear that my philosophy of leadership, and my understanding of the value and mission of Stars and Stripes, differ in fundamental ways from the direction the leadership of the Department of Defence has for the organization" [1, 6, 3, 4, 7, 5].
Pentagon sources criticized Lederer’s tenure, calling it "lethargic" and poor leadership amid reported declines in readership. They cited a 30% drop in unique digital visitors from 20 million in 2019 to 14 million in 2024, along with print deliveries declining from 7 million to 6.2 million over the same period [7]. However, a source close to Stars and Stripes operations disputed the digital audience decline, noting 42 million page views in August 2026 [7].
Stars and Stripes, founded in 1861, is a historic U.S. military newspaper partially funded by the Defense Department but traditionally editorially independent [1, 6, 3, 4]. The firings followed controversial reporting on poor morale and conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, deployed in the Middle East conflict with Iran [1, 6, 3, 4].
National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr. called the firings "deeply troubling," stating it should concern every journalist and member of the military depending on independent reporting [2]. Stars and Stripes staff continue to support editorial independence and oppose Pentagon interference efforts [2, 5].
