Three Stars and Stripes Journalists Sue US Defense Department Over Firings
Al Jazeera Staff
Three Stars and Stripes journalists have sued the US Defense Department over their firings, alleging violations of First Amendment rights and an effort to undermine the paper's independence. The lawsuit cites censorship efforts and retaliation for reporting on military conditions.
Three employees of the US military newspaper Stars and Stripes have officially filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Defense, alleging that their recent dismissals are part of an effort to curtail the paper's independence.
According to the lawsuit filed in a Washington DC district court on Thursday (local time), publisher Max Lederer, editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, and Middle East correspondent Lara Korte claim their First Amendment free speech rights have been violated.
Stars and Stripes has long prided itself on being an independent source of military news, despite receiving government funding for its operations. Last week, the three journalists received termination notices from the Pentagon citing "insubordination," raising questions about the Defense Department's longstanding commitment to respecting the paper's editorial independence.
The lawsuit accuses the department and several leaders, including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, of engaging in "extraordinary censorship efforts." The plaintiffs assert: "The defendants are attempting to fire the plaintiffs for speaking out as citizens in support of the freedom of the press to report on military activities. This legal action is intended to prevent the blatant violation of the journalists' First Amendment rights."
Correspondent Lara Korte explained the reason for the lawsuit in a social media post: "Everyone deserves a free and independent press, especially those serving in the military. This lawsuit is about protecting the mission of Stars and Stripes journalists so they can continue their work without fear or retaliation."
The lawsuit states that an interview in July on the CBS program Sunday Morning was the "source" of the tensions. In the interview, both Korte and Slavin discussed their work, when CBS correspondent David Martin asked Slavin: "You have a sign on your desk that says 'Choose your battles.' What are you willing to sacrifice for?" Slavin replied: "We need to provide independent news to the troops. If we can't do that, if we are turned into something else, into a public relations arm, then that is what we have to fight to protect."
Earlier, in a statement in January, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the department would bring Stars and Stripes "back to its original mission: reporting for our warfighters." Mr. Parnell wrote: "We will modernize operations, shift content focus away from distractions, and concentrate on warfare, weapons systems, fitness, survivability, and all things military." However, critics have called the initiative a cover for the Pentagon to reshape the newspaper's reporting.
The lawsuit also highlights Stars and Stripes' role in pioneering coverage of deteriorating conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, which has been on an extended deployment without docking since November last year. The newspaper was one of the first media outlets to report on supply shortages and mental health challenges among sailors. However, President Donald Trump and Secretary Hegseth both dismissed these reports, calling them "fake news."
The lawsuit argues that the firings could be retaliation for Stars and Stripes' article on this topic. One day after the article was published, the Defense Department contacted publisher Lederer to demand the firing of Korte and Slavin, citing the CBS interview from weeks earlier. Lederer did not comply with this order but announced his intention to retire in September, citing disagreements with "the leadership direction of the Department of Defense." On August 21, the Defense Department issued termination notices to all three employees, including Lederer.
Earlier, in April, the newspaper's ombudsman, Jacqueline Smith, had also been fired. Smith's role was partly to protect the independence of Stars and Stripes, a newspaper with a long history dating back to the American Civil War.
The lawsuit states: "Defense officials and military commanders have long affirmed that Stars and Stripes will not be subject to interference by military authorities. Editorial independence is a vital element of the paper's core mission: to gather and provide objective, reliable information to the American military community."
