Pentagon dismisses top editors and reporter at military newspaper Stars and Stripes over alleged insubordination

Termination notices issued to newsroom leaders

On 21 August 2026, the Department of Defense issued dismissal notices to executive editor Erik Slavin, publisher Max Lederer, and Middle East correspondent Lara Korte at Stars and Stripes. The Pentagon cited insubordination and an unauthorized media appearance as grounds for the dismissals, granting the targeted staff five days to file an appeal. The newspaper, which has operated continuously since the Second World War and traces its origins to the American Civil War, receives roughly half of its 29 million dollar annual operating budget from taxpayer funding through the Pentagon while maintaining statutory editorial independence.

According to the notice, I am fired for stating in an interview with CBS that censoring news intended for service members would constitute a red line. The Pentagon public relations office accused me of insubordination. I support the principle that Stars and Stripes must remain editorially independent, as provided by law and the department's own policies.

Conflict over editorial independence

The dispute stems from appearances by Slavin and Korte in July 2026 on CBS News Sunday Morning. During the broadcast, both journalists discussed editorial boundaries and resistance to Defense Department interference. In that interview, Slavin stated that a red line would be replacing accurate news reporting with pre-packaged material written directly by the Pentagon. Korte also defended the publication's autonomy during the broadcast.

I work for Stars and Stripes. Not for the Pentagon, not for any administration, not for any decision-maker. I am here to cover news in the military community.

The dismissals follow statements made earlier in the year by Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, who stated that the Department of Defense intended to refocus the newspaper's coverage away from ideological distractions that affect morale. Under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon has moved to increase oversight of the news outlet.

Scrutiny of carrier deployment and Middle East coverage

The disciplinary actions arrived approximately ten days after Stars and Stripes published an investigative report detailing harsh living conditions aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. Family members of crew members voiced concerns regarding mental health strain and risks of self-harm among sailors aboard the vessel. The carrier departed San Diego in November 2025 for operations in the South China Sea before being redirected to the Middle East ahead of military action launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on 28 February 2026. The deployment was extended to nine months, though President Donald Trump indicated the carrier would be replaced by another carrier strike group.

Internal reaction and management changes

Prior to the terminations, the Pentagon appointed active-duty Navy officer Captain William Urban, a former senior Department of Defense spokesperson, as military deputy publisher. In a letter published on 21 August, Urban stated his priority was ensuring high quality, editorially independent reporting. Lederer had announced his intention to retire at the end of September 2026, stating that his understanding of the newspaper's mission differed fundamentally from Pentagon leadership. Following the dismissal notices, Europe and Middle East bureau chief William Gallo sent an email to newsroom staff confirming that reporting operations would continue.

We all have questions about what things will look like going forward. I am still here, and you are still here. And we will continue to do independent journalism, in accordance with our statutory mandate.