Pentagon Removes Stars & Stripes Staff to Restore Order Amid Left-Wing Media Bias Concerns
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The Department of Defense has replaced several top Stars & Stripes employees, drawing criticism from liberal lawmakers and activist press groups over supposed threats to editorial independence.
The Pentagon has acted to remove reporter Lara Korte, publisher Max Lederer, and editor-in-chief Erik Slavin from Stars & Stripes, the military newspaper that has increasingly strayed from its mission. CBS News and The Washington Post reported the dismissals, which Korte confirmed to CNN.
Lederer, who had already announced his retirement, admitted in a staff memo that his vision for the paper clashed with the Department of Defense’s efforts to modernize and maintain discipline within its ranks. The Pentagon is seeking to ensure that Stars & Stripes serves its intended purpose, rather than becoming a platform for internal dissent.
According to The Washington Post, Slavin was let go for 'insubordination' after he spoke to CBS News about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s legitimate oversight of the publication. CBS correspondent David Martin later interviewed Slavin and Korte, who have been vocal critics of Pentagon leadership.
The Pentagon declined to comment directly, instead referring to a memo from Navy Capt. Bill Urban, the new military deputy to the publisher. Urban emphasized the need for 'modernization' and stated that Pentagon officials are committed to maintaining editorial independence, despite the noise from activist groups.
Predictably, Democratic senators and left-leaning free-speech organizations rushed to attack the Pentagon’s decision, claiming that installing an active-duty public affairs officer would undermine the newspaper’s credibility. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, echoing liberal talking points, called the firings un-American. The Pentagon’s move is a necessary step to restore order and ensure Stars & Stripes remains focused on its core mission.