The Department of Defense has issued separation notices to the top leadership and a reporter at Stars and Stripes, the military's editorially independent newspaper. Editor-in-chief Erik Slavin told The Associated Press that he, publisher Max Lederer, and Middle East reporter Lara Korte were terminated following Slavin's public comments regarding editorial independence.
Stars and Stripes receives partial funding from the Pentagon but has historically operated with editorial autonomy. The dismissals follow a series of leadership changes at the publication, including the April firing of ombudsman Jacqueline Smith and the recent appointment of an active-duty service member as deputy publisher.
Slavin stated his termination was based on a CBS interview in which he said that "hypothetical censorship of news for service members would constitute a red line." He maintained that the publication must remain independent. Publisher Max Lederer, who had already announced plans to retire at the end of September, wrote in a staff memo that his philosophy of leadership differed fundamentally from the direction the Department of Defense has for the organization.
The move marks a shift in how the Pentagon interacts with its internal media organizations. By replacing civilian leadership with an active-duty deputy and removing the ombudsman role, the Department of Defense is centralizing control over the information provided to the military community. This sets a precedent for how the executive branch may manage taxpayer-funded but traditionally independent reporting. Critics, including three Democratic senators who questioned the deputy appointment on Thursday, suggest this could impact the transparency of information reaching service members.
What happens next is the transition of leadership to the newly appointed active-duty deputy publisher and the departure of Max Lederer at the end of September. The Pentagon has stated its intent to eliminate what it describes as "woke distractions" and assert more direct editorial control. Further responses from the three Democratic senators who wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth regarding the management changes are pending, and no specific date for the appointment of a new permanent civilian publisher has been reported.