Stars and Stripes Editor, Publisher, Reporter Dismissed by Pentagon
Pentagon fires Stars and Stripes editor-in-chief, publisher, and a reporter following the editor's public defense of editorial independence.
The Pentagon has dismissed the editor-in-chief of Stars and Stripes, along with the military newspaper's publisher and a reporter, according to the editor himself.
Erik Slavin, who leads the publication that is partly funded by the Pentagon but has historically operated with editorial independence, said he received a separation notice on Friday. He told The Varta Wire that publisher Max Lederer and Middle East reporter Lara Korte were also issued notices.
Slavin said his dismissal was for insubordination, tied directly to comments he made in a CBS interview. In that conversation, he stated that any hypothetical censorship of news meant for service members would cross a red line.
"I stand by the principle that Stars and Stripes must remain editorially independent," Slavin said.
Earlier this week, Lederer had announced his retirement, effective at the end of September. Despite that planned departure, he too received a separation notice, according to Slavin.
The firings raise fresh questions about the relationship between the U.S. military and the publication, which has long served American troops stationed around the world while maintaining a tradition of independent journalism.