Stars and Stripes staff sue Pentagon over alleged retaliatory dismissals
Three Stars and Stripes employees filed a federal lawsuit against the Pentagon, claiming their firings violated personnel rules and the First Amendment. They allege retaliation for speaking out and for reporting on conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. The Pentagon has not yet responded.
The lawsuit names publisher Max Lederer, editor Erik Slavin, and reporter Lara Korte as plaintiffs, with legal backing from four advocacy organizations. Court filings describe a sequence beginning August 12, when Pentagon official Andrew Brey ordered Lederer to issue separation notices to Slavin and Korte over comments made during a CBS interview. Lederer refused, announced retirement, and all three were dismissed on August 21.
This case follows a pattern of friction between the Pentagon and the outlet. The department removed ombudsman Jacqueline Smith in April, who later sued in June. Two advisory board members filed suit the same month alleging censorship efforts. The Pentagon has also appointed active-duty Navy Capt. William Urban as deputy publisher, drawing scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers, while officials describe a shift toward "warfighting" content over what they term "woke distractions."
This dispute could reshape how military journalism operates, potentially affecting service members' access to independent reporting about their own conditions. If the firings stand, it may signal that government-employed journalists face consequences for critical coverage, possibly chilling future reporting on military operations. Conversely, a court ruling for the plaintiffs could reinforce protections for editorial independence within government-funded outlets, with implications for press freedom and public oversight of the armed forces.