The Department of Defense (DOD) fired the editor-in-chief, publisher, and a Middle East correspondent from Stars and Stripes on Friday. The dismissals follow a series of moves by the Pentagon to alter the editorial direction of the historically independent military news outlet, which is staffed by Pentagon employees and partially funded by the department.
Erik Slavin, the former editor-in-chief, stated his removal was for insubordination after he told CBS News that potential censorship of news for service members would be a "red line." Correspondent Lara Korte also attributed her firing to insubordination after telling the same network she works for the newspaper rather than the Pentagon or any policymaker. The Pentagon had previously announced plans in January to refocus the outlet's content on "warfighting" and remove what it termed "woke distractions."
The leadership change follows the installation of Navy Capt. William Urban, an active-duty service member, as deputy publisher several weeks ago. This appointment drew inquiries from three Democratic senators. Additionally, publisher Max Lederer had announced earlier in the week that he would retire by Sept. 30, citing fundamental differences with the DOD regarding the mission and value of the outlet. In April, the department also removed the newspaper's ombudsman, Jacqueline Smith, who was responsible for monitoring editorial independence.
Service members and readers will likely notice a change in the publication's content as the Pentagon executes its stated plan to modernize operations and shift focus toward warfighting topics. The removal of the ombudsman in April had already eliminated the primary internal mechanism for reporting independence concerns to Congress. According to the National Press Club, these actions are viewed by journalism groups as an attempt by government officials to dictate news coverage and retaliate against journalists for their reporting.
The immediate impact includes the loss of the outlet's top civilian leadership and a veteran Middle East correspondent, shifting management to a structure that now includes an active-duty military officer in the deputy publisher role. The long-term policy direction remains tied to the Pentagon's January initiative to reshape the outlet's mission. Max Lederer's retirement is set for Sept. 30, 2026, while the department continues its efforts to adapt the publication for a new generation of service members. No specific dates for the appointment of permanent civilian replacements have been reported.