Pentagon Fires Stars and Stripes Editor and Senior Reporter

The Pentagon has fired the editor-in-chief of Stars and Stripes, a respected US military newspaper, along with one of its senior reporters. Erik Slavin, the editor-in-chief, said he received notice of his termination at the same time as Middle East correspondent Lara Korte.

A separate notice was also sent to Max Lederer, the paper's longtime publisher, who had previously announced his retirement at the end of September. Slavin suggested the dismissals were a response to the editorial team publicly voicing efforts to protect Stars and Stripes' editorial independence.

Although funded by the Pentagon, the paper has maintained the ability to report independently on military affairs. "I stand by the principle that Stars and Stripes must remain editorially independent, as law and department policy require," Slavin told the AP. He believes he was fired for "stating in an interview with CBS that hypothetical news censorship of troops would be a red line."

Stars and Stripes has a long history of covering the US military. Founded in the 19th century, the paper rose to prominence during World War II when it became the official media outlet for troops overseas. However, Friday's dismissals come as President Donald Trump's administration enforces policies that civil rights activists fear will restrict press freedom.

During Trump's second term, the Pentagon has restricted reporters' access to areas such as the department's press office. Trump has also filed lawsuits against several media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press, BBC, and The New York Times, over reporting disagreements.

Stars and Stripes recently drew attention with its series on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, which has been on a record-long deployment since November. The paper reported on sailors expressing suicidal intentions or attempting to jump overboard. The Trump administration dismissed these articles as exaggerated and "dishonest."

Pressure on Stars and Stripes has been mounting for months. In January, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell stated the department would "return Stars and Stripes to its original mission: reporting for our warfighters," while intervening to "steer content away from the 'woke' antics that erode morale."

The paper subsequently saw several changes that alarmed press freedom groups. In April, ombudsman Jacqueline Smith was fired. A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Captain William Urban, was also appointed deputy publisher without, according to Lederer, prior notice.

In his resignation letter, Lederer stressed that his "leadership philosophy" differed "in fundamental ways from the direction the Department of Defense leadership has for the organization." Urban, for his part, posted a letter on the Stars and Stripes website praising the paper's World War II efforts but criticizing its current management for being "slow to embrace digital storytelling" and pledged to "modernize."

Friday's personnel changes sparked fresh concerns about the paper's fate. Chris Vaccaro, president of the Society of Professional Journalists, wrote: "Stars and Stripes cannot fulfill its mission if journalists or newsroom leaders have to worry that independent reporting could lead to retaliation from the officials they cover."

That same day, three Democratic senators — Richard Blumenthal, Elizabeth Warren, and Jeanne Shaheen — sent a joint letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanding an explanation for the "erosion" of the paper's independence. They wrote: "For generations, American service members, especially those stationed overseas and in war zones, have relied on Stars and Stripes for credible and independent news. That trust depends on maintaining a clear line between independent journalism and the department's public affairs apparatus. At this critical moment of leadership transition, that independence must not be compromised."