DistantNews
Support us
🇮🇱 Israel /Conflict & Security

US military paper 'Stars and Stripes' warns of independence threat after Pentagon fires staff

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • The Pentagon has fired senior staff at Stars and Stripes, the US military's independent newspaper, raising concerns about editorial independence.
  • Publisher Max Lederer, Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin, and reporter Lara Korte received separation notices, with Slavin and Korte citing arguments against censorship as reasons for their dismissal.
  • The Defense Department previously announced plans to overhaul the publication, aiming to eliminate

The Pentagon's recent dismissal of senior staff at the US military newspaper Stars and Stripes has ignited concerns over the publication's editorial independence. Publisher Max Lederer, Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin, and reporter Lara Korte have all received separation notices, prompting warnings from the Stars and Stripes Publisher Advisory Board.

The Publisher Advisory Board is deeply concerned that these actions further threaten to interrupt the editorial independence that is essential to Stars and Stripes’ credibility and its ability to serve the military community with trusted, independent journalism.

— Rufus FridayChair of the Stars and Stripes Publisher Advisory Board, warning about the threat to the newspaper's independence after senior staff received separation notices.

Rufus Friday, chair of the advisory board, expressed deep concern, stating that these actions "further threaten to interrupt the editorial independence that is essential to Stars and Stripes’ credibility and its ability to serve the military community with trusted, independent journalism." He urged the House and Senate Armed Services Committees to seek explanations for the Pentagon's actions.

Slavin indicated that he and Korte were dismissed for participating in a CBS News interview where they argued against censorship of the newspaper. Korte stated, "I am working for Stars and Stripes. Not for the Pentagon. Not for any administration. Not for any policymaker. I am here to cover the military community." Slavin echoed this sentiment, telling The Washington Post, "I stand by the principle that Stars and Stripes should remain independent for service members."

I am working for Stars and Stripes. Not for the Pentagon. Not for any administration. Not for any policymaker. I am here to cover the military community.

— Lara KorteReporter for Stars and Stripes, explaining her role and allegiance during an interview with CBS News.

The Defense Department confirmed the dismissals, noting that the employees have five days to appeal. While neither Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth nor the Pentagon offered further comment, the Defense Department had previously announced plans in January to overhaul Stars and Stripes, aiming to eliminate what it termed "woke distractions" and return the publication to its "original mission" of reporting for US service members. The Pentagon also fired the publication’s congressionally mandated ombudsman in April, who subsequently sued the government on First Amendment grounds.

I stand by the principle that Stars and Stripes should remain independent for service members.

— Erik SlavinEditor-in-Chief of Stars and Stripes, defending the newspaper's independence in comments to The Washington Post.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog