Stars and Stripes Publisher Resigns Amid Clash with Administration
Theo Al Jazeera Staff
Max D Lederer Jr, longtime publisher of Stars and Stripes, has retired, citing fundamental disagreements with Pentagon leadership amid the Trump administration's tightening editorial control. The move follows criticism from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the firing of the paper's ombudsman, raising concerns about press freedom.
Max D Lederer Jr, the longtime publisher of Stars and Stripes, the U.S. military newspaper, has announced his retirement, citing disagreements with Defense Department leadership. He conveyed the news in a memo to staff on Tuesday, along with an interview with the paper itself.
According to the Associated Press, the memo reveals that Lederer clashed with the Trump administration over its efforts to increase editorial control over the publication. He wrote: “It is clear that my leadership philosophy, and my understanding of Stars and Stripes’ value and mission, fundamentally differ from the direction that the Department of Defense leadership has for this organization.”
The announcement follows Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s accusation that the paper was promoting “distractions of the woke variety.” The Trump administration has also criticized the newspaper for its coverage of poor conditions and low morale aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier involved in the war with Iran.
Founded in 1861, Stars and Stripes has been a U.S. military news organization for over a century. Although it receives most of its budget from the government, the paper has long sought to maintain editorial independence from successive administrations. However, critics say threats to the paper have intensified in recent years.
During Trump’s first term (2017–2021), the Pentagon sought to eliminate the newspaper’s budget, but Trump pledged not to cut it “under my watch.” In January, the Defense Department under Trump’s second term announced it would align the paper with government priorities. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell described the move as “bringing Stars and Stripes back to its original mission: serving our warfighters.”
The Defense Department also fired Jacqueline Smith, the newspaper’s ombudsman, who was responsible for protecting its reporting from political interference. The dismissal sparked an outcry over the erosion of press freedom. In a response article, Smith wrote: “No one is surprised they removed the person Congress tasked with protecting Stars and Stripes’ editorial independence.”
Hegseth has also directed restrictions on journalists’ access to the Pentagon. In June, reporters were barred from the Defense Department press office, which was suddenly deemed a classified area. That same month, a judge temporarily blocked a rule requiring journalists to have an escort when entering the Pentagon, a measure news outlets warned could violate First Amendment freedoms. Several other policies have also been struck down by courts, including a rule prohibiting reporters from accessing documents not authorized by the Pentagon.
Additionally, Hegseth has tightened policies related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, arguing they hinder military effectiveness. The prolonged U.S. war with Iran, which began in February, has sparked domestic controversy. Stars and Stripes is one of two military newspapers reporting on the declining morale and suicides among soldiers aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln—a ship that set a U.S. Navy record for the longest deployment without a port call.
