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August 19, 2026 / 9:35 PM EDT
/ CBS News
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Washington — Pentagon officials have discussed firing the longtime publisher of Stars and Stripes before his scheduled retirement, U.S. officials told CBS News, as the Trump administration strategizes an overhaul of the military news outlet partly funded by American taxpayers.Max Lederer, who has served as the publisher of Stars and Stripes for 19 years, this week announced to colleagues his decision to retire on Sept. 30, citing fundamental differences with the Trump administration. Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin has spoken publicly, including to CBS News, about disagreements with Pentagon leaders. It was unclear when a decision on the news outlet's leadership would be made. Spokespeople for the Defense Department didn't immediately comment. The outlet, which receives about 65% of its funding through the Defense Department, has long prided itself on its editorial independence from the public affairs apparatus at the Pentagon. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell has posted on social media about "bringing Stars and Stripes into the 21st century," writing in January: "We will modernize its operations, refocus its content away from woke distractions that syphon morale, and adapt it to serve a new generation of service members."CBS News has reported that an average of 1.4 million people see Stars and Stripes each day — mostly online, although it puts out a print version overseas for service members in remote places where access to the internet can be unreliable.Two U.S. officials said public records show readership has declined since peaks during World War II, the Cold War and the Vietnam War.
