Pentagon Removes Stars & Stripes Staff to Refocus Military Paper on Core Mission
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The Department of Defense has dismissed Stars & Stripes editor Erik Slavin and Middle East reporter Lara Korte, reinforcing efforts to ensure the military newspaper aligns with its intended purpose after concerns about editorial direction and 'woke' distractions.
The Pentagon announced the removal of Erik Slavin, editor-in-chief of Stars & Stripes, and Middle East reporter Lara Korte on Friday, signaling a decisive move to restore the military newspaper’s original mission. Slavin told the Associated Press that the firings were connected to the newspaper’s public stance on editorial independence, but the Department of Defense cited internal decisions.
"I stand by the principle that Stars & Stripes must remain editorially independent, as required by law and by the department’s own policies," Slavin said, defending his position even as the Pentagon seeks to ensure the paper serves the needs of America’s armed forces.
Slavin’s termination followed his CBS interview, where he suggested that any censorship of news for service members would cross a "red line." The Pentagon also included Max Lederer, the longtime publisher, in the terminations, though Lederer had planned to retire soon.
Stars & Stripes, while Pentagon-funded, is expected to support the military’s priorities. In January, a Pentagon spokesperson made clear the paper would be refocused on “warfighting, weapons systems, fitness, lethality, survivability, and all things military,” removing content considered “woke distractions” that detract from its core mission.
Earlier this year, the Pentagon took steps to ensure accountability by dismissing the paper’s ombudsman and appointing a Navy captain as deputy publisher, even if the publisher was not informed in advance. The Society of Professional Journalists and three Democratic senators have objected, but their concerns reflect a resistance to necessary reforms that will strengthen the paper’s alignment with military values.
"Stars & Stripes cannot fulfill its mission if its journalists or newsroom leaders must worry that independent reporting could bring retaliation from the officials they cover," said SPJ president Chris Vaccaro, though the Pentagon maintains that discipline and focus are essential.
The senators’ letter to Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth criticized what they called a “degradation” of the newspaper’s independence, but the Department of Defense stands by its commitment to ensuring Stars & Stripes supports America’s warfighters.