Pentagon Fires Editor and Publisher of Independent Military Publication
New York Times · LC · trust 45/100
The firings at Stars and Stripes also claimed a Middle East correspondent. They are the latest effort by the Pentagon to diminish the news outlet’s editorial independence.
Listen · 4:32 min Share full article Service members reading Stars and Stripes in Cu Chi, South Vietnam, in September 1969. The publication has a long history of independent reporting on the U.S. military. Credit... Mark Godfrey/Associated Press By Minho Kim
The firings raised questions about the Pentagon’s willingness to ensure the editorial integrity of the publication that has reported extensively on difficulties faced by military communities as the war in Iran has dragged on. The terminations came about 10 days after Stars and Stripes journalists reported on hardships that Navy sailors were facing on the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln, the aircraft carrier whose deployment was extended to nine months amid the war.
On Friday, the Pentagon sent termination notices to Erik Slavin, the editor in chief, and Max Lederer, the publisher, who had announced his retirement earlier this week, citing conflict with the Pentagon leadership on the paper’s direction. Lara Korte, a Middle East correspondent at the news outlet, was also fired on Friday, according to the official and a post she made on social media .
The Defense Department declined to comment. Capt. William Urban, the military deputy to the publisher who was brought to the role earlier this month, said in a letter published on Friday that his priority was to ensure “the highest quality of editorially independent reporting” at Stars and Stripes. Captain Urban had previously served as a senior spokesman for the Defense Department in various roles.
Mr. Slavin said his termination notice cited insubordination and an unauthorized media appearance as the reason for his dismissal. In July, CBS News interviewed Mr. Slavin and Ms. Korte for a news segment on accusations of editorial interference at Stars and Stripes. The segment featured Ms. Korte’s reporting about uncertainties that military families in the Middle East confronted as U.S. bases there were evacuated after Iranian attacks.
“According to the notice, I am being fired for stating in a CBS interview that censorship of news for service members would constitute a red line,” Mr. Slavin said in a statement. “I stand by the principle that Stars and Stripes must remain editorially independent, as required by law and by the department’s own policies.”
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