Pentagon dismisses Stars and Stripes editor and reporter over alleged insubordination
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The Department of Defense terminated the editor-in-chief and a senior reporter of the military newspaper Stars and Stripes after they discussed editorial independence in a CBS interview, prompting criticism from media leaders.
The Pentagon announced on Friday that it had terminated Stars and Stripes editor-in-chief Jeff Slavin and senior reporter Michael Korte, citing insubordination after the two appeared on a CBS interview. Slavin said he was fired for stating that any hypothetical censorship of news for service members would be a "red line," and Korte said he was dismissed after telling the reporter he worked for Stars and Stripes, not the Pentagon or any policy maker.
National Press Club President Mark Schoeff Jr. described the dismissals as an attempt by the Pentagon to influence coverage and called for the decisions to be reversed. "Firing a newspaper editor after he publicly defended his newsroom's editorial independence is deeply troubling," Schoeff said.
The firings come weeks after longtime publisher John Lederer announced his retirement and after the Pentagon installed Navy Capt. William Urban as a deputy publisher without prior notice. Democratic senators have written to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth requesting an explanation for Urban's appointment.
In a staff memo, Lederer said his leadership philosophy and view of Stars and Stripes' mission differed fundamentally from the Department of Defense's direction. Urban, who has a background in public affairs but no formal journalism experience, said he intends to maintain editorial independence while expanding the paper's digital presence to better reach service members.
Earlier in April, the Pentagon also dismissed Jacqueline Smith, the newspaper's ombudsman, whose role was to protect editorial independence.