Pentagon Fired the Editor-in-Chief of Stars and Stripes After he Stated That Censorship is Unacceptable

The Pentagon fired the editor-in-chief and several employees of the military newspaper Stars and Stripes who had criticized the U.S. Department of Defense’s interference in editorial policy.

This was reported by The Washington Post.

The U.S. Department of Defense’s daily newspaper was founded in 1861. Since World War II, the media outlet has continuously covered the life of the American military community and served its interests.

Approximately half of Stars and Stripes’ budget is provided by the Pentagon, and the publication’s staff are considered employees of the U.S. Department of Defense. Stars and Stripes is unique among U.S. Department of Defense-affiliated media outlets in that it is “governed by the principles of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,” which protects the right to freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

During Trump’s second administration, under Defense Secretary Pete Hegset, the media outlet’s independence was threatened because high-ranking Pentagon officials called the newspaper ‘woke.’

Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin reported that he and journalist Lara Corte received notices of their dismissal on Friday. The U.S. Department of Defense also sent a termination notice to publisher Max Lederer.

According to Slavine, he and Corte were fired for participating in a CBS News interview, during which he stated that any hypothetical censorship in a military newspaper would cross a red line. Two sources at the publication confirmed this information on condition of anonymity.

In response to an inquiry from The Washington Post, the Pentagon confirmed the dismissals and stated that the three employees have five days to appeal the decision. The media outlet declined to comment further.

According to the Associated Press, the changes at Stars and Stripes come amid intensifying efforts by Defense Secretary Pete Hagseth to control media coverage of the U.S. Department of Defense’s activities.

In 2025, department officials attempted to impose restrictions on journalists working at the Pentagon. In response, most media outlets surrendered their press passes and left the Pentagon.

In April, the Pentagon fired the Stars and Stripes ombudswoman, whom Congress had tasked with protecting the newspaper’s editorial independence. In August, without consulting the editor-in-chief, the Pentagon appointed Navy Captain William Urban, who is on active duty, as deputy publisher.

In an open letter, Urban did not comment on the dismissal of three employees, but expressed confidence that the Pentagon would respect the newspaper’s editorial independence. In particular, he cited the newspaper’s reports on poor conditions aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. The Pentagon could have tried to ban coverage of this topic, but chose not to do so.