US military newspaper editors, journalists fired over defending press freedom

The Pentagon has fired three senior figures at the US military’s independent newspaper Stars and Stripes for allegedly opposing military interference or censorship of its editorial operations.

Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin, Editorial Publisher Max Lederer and Middle East correspondent Lara Korte were dismissed on charges of insubordination after publicly defending the newspaper’s editorial independence.

The dismissal notices were issued on Friday, August 21.

According to reports, Slavin recently spoke in a CBS interview against any censorship or political interference in the military newspaper. He said its primary responsibility was to provide objective news to service members and that censorship would violate its editorial principles.

Slavin told the Associated Press that the Pentagon’s public affairs office fired him for saying in the interview that censorship of news reaching service members was a “red line” for Stars and Stripes. He maintained that the paper’s editorial independence should be protected under US law and Defense Department policy.

Korte also said on social media that she had made clear during the interview that she worked for readers, not any US administration, the Pentagon or policymakers. She said she was disciplined for making that statement.

The newspaper, which receives partial funding from the US military, has historically maintained editorial independence. Tensions with the Trump administration reportedly escalated after the Pentagon sought greater control over its coverage and editorial policies, particularly following investigative reports on problems faced by sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.

National Press Club President Mark Schof Jr. called the dismissals a direct attack on press freedom and demanded their immediate reversal.