Pentagon dismisses Stars and Stripes leadership after editor voices censorship fears

The Pentagon has dismissed the editor-in-chief of Stars and Stripes, Erik Slavin, along with publisher Max Lederer and reporter Lara Korte, on August 21, 2026. Slavin stated he was fired for insubordination after an interview where he emphasized the newspaper's editorial independence and declared that military censorship of news for service members would be a "red line". Korte also reportedly received a separation notice for her participation in the same interview, where she asserted her loyalty to Stars and Stripes over the Pentagon or any administration.

These dismissals have intensified concerns regarding the editorial independence of Stars and Stripes, a military newspaper that, while partly Pentagon-funded, has a congressional mandate for journalistic autonomy. Critics, including lawmakers and press freedom advocates, view these actions as part of a broader push by the second Trump administration and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to exert greater control over the publication and suppress what they deem "woke distractions". The prior removal of the paper's ombudsman and the unannounced installation of an active-duty deputy publisher had already raised similar alarms about potential military interference.

Publisher Max Lederer, who had previously announced his retirement due to philosophical disagreements with the Defense Department's direction for the organization, also received a separation notice. The individuals affected have been given five days to appeal their dismissals.