Pentagon Fires Stars and Stripes Publisher and Editor Amidst Independence Concerns
The Pentagon, under the direction of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has fired the publisher and editor-in-chief of Stars and Stripes, a military newspaper. Publisher Max Lederer, who had served for nearly two decades, received a separation notice, as did editor-in-chief Erik Slavin and reporter Lara Korte. Lederer stated that his leadership philosophy and understanding of the paper's mission differed fundamentally from the Department of Defense's direction. The apparent catalyst for Lederer's departure was the Pentagon's decision to impose William Urban, an active-duty Navy captain and public affairs officer, as the publisher's deputy without Lederer's approval or consultation, a move that goes against the paper's tradition of civilian leadership. Slavin indicated that he and Korte were fired after participating in a CBS News interview where he discussed censorship of the military newspaper, which the Pentagon deemed insubordination. These firings follow the earlier dismissal of Jacqueline Smith, the pape... 
