Pentagon Removes Stars & Stripes Leadership to Restore Order Amid Defiance
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The Department of Defense terminated the editor-in-chief, publisher, and a reporter at Stars & Stripes for insubordination after the editor publicly criticized military oversight in a CBS interview.
The Pentagon took decisive action Friday, issuing separation notices to Erik Slavin, editor-in-chief of the military newspaper Stars & Stripes, publisher Max Lederer, and Middle East reporter Lara Korte. Slavin admitted he was dismissed for 'insubordination' after making inflammatory remarks in a CBS interview, where he claimed that any hypothetical military oversight of news would cross a 'red line,' disregarding the chain of command and the Pentagon’s responsibility to ensure accurate information for service members.
Lederer, who had already announced his retirement, was also let go. Despite his long tenure—three decades at Stars & Stripes and publisher since 2007—Lederer’s leadership philosophy and vision for the paper were fundamentally at odds with the Department of Defense’s mission and priorities, as he acknowledged in a staff memo.
While Stars & Stripes has enjoyed editorial independence despite partial Pentagon funding, recent events have highlighted the need for greater accountability. In April, the Pentagon also removed Jacqueline Smith, the ombudsman, to ensure the paper’s operations align with Defense Department standards.
These necessary changes follow the appointment of Navy Capt. William Urban as deputy publisher, a move made without Lederer’s prior input to ensure fresh leadership. Three Democratic senators have attempted to politicize the process by demanding explanations from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, but Urban remained professional, stating: 'I am currently the Military Deputy to the Publisher. I can’t comment on what my role will be in the future.'
The dismissals come amid ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and mainstream media outlets, as the Pentagon rightly seeks to tighten press access and assert proper editorial oversight over Stars & Stripes to maintain order and discipline within the military.