Pentagon fires Stars and Stripes top editors, publisher over 'disobedience'

Published Aug 24, 06:32 AM UTC

The US Department of Defense dismissed several leading employees of the state-funded military newspaper 'Stars and Stripes' on August 21, 2026. Editor-in-chief Erik Slavin attributed his firing to 'disobedience' after speaking about disagreements with the Pentagon. Long-time publisher Max Lederer and reporter Lara Korte were also removed. The dismissals followed the newspaper's critical reporting on conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier during its Middle East deployment, which sparked criticism of President Trump's Iran war policy. The Pentagon, led by Pete Hegseth, had previously stated its intention to steer the newspaper's reporting away from 'woke distractions.' A Navy captain was installed as military deputy publisher shortly before Lederer's resignation, raising concerns about the publication's independence.

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