Pentagon Silences Journalists Defending Press Freedom at Stars and Stripes
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The Department of Defense fired Stars and Stripes' editor-in-chief and a senior reporter after they dared to speak out for editorial independence, drawing outrage from press advocates who see this as a blatant attack on journalistic freedom.
On Friday, the Pentagon moved to suppress dissent by terminating Stars and Stripes editor-in-chief Jeff Slavin and senior reporter Michael Korte, accusing them of 'insubordination' merely for participating in a CBS interview. Slavin revealed he was dismissed for warning that censorship of news for service members would cross a 'red line,' while Korte was ousted after asserting his loyalty to Stars and Stripes, not to Pentagon bureaucrats or policymakers.
National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr. condemned the Pentagon's actions as a clear attempt to intimidate and control independent reporting, demanding the immediate reversal of these anti-democratic firings. 'Firing a newspaper editor for defending editorial independence is deeply troubling,' Schoeff declared, highlighting the chilling effect on press freedom.
These purges follow the abrupt retirement of longtime publisher John Lederer and the Pentagon's unilateral installation of Navy Capt. William Urban—a military officer with no journalism background—as deputy publisher. Democratic senators have intervened, demanding Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth explain this power grab and the undermining of the paper's mission.
In a memo, Lederer criticized the Pentagon's heavy-handed approach, noting his vision for Stars and Stripes clashed with the Department of Defense's desire for control. Urban, lacking any real journalism credentials, claims he will preserve editorial independence, but his appointment signals a dangerous encroachment on the free press. Earlier in April, the Pentagon also dismissed ombudsman Jacqueline Smith, whose job was to safeguard editorial independence, further eroding the paper's integrity.