Stars and Stripes, the U.S. military newspaper founded in 1861, lost its editor-in-chief, publisher and Middle East reporter to firings Friday for what the Pentagon described as insubordination. File Photo by Sgt. Brendan Mackie/U.S. Army National Guard
Aug. 21 (UPI) -- The Pentagon has fired the publisher, editor-in-chief and Middle East reporter of the venerable military newspaper Stars and Stripes, the publication reported Friday.
Editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, publisher Max Lederer Jr. and civilian reporter Lara Korte, who covers the Middle East, have all received termination notices, a Pentagon source confirmed to the newspaper.
Despite being part of the Department of Defense, Stars and Stripes has long maintained editorial independence from the top leaders but it has faced pressure under the administration of President Donald Trump, whose defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has repeatedly clashed with media covering the Pentagon.
Slavin said he was fired for insubordination after telling CBS News last month that he would regard any attempt by the Pentagon to interfere with Stars and Stripes' editorial independence as a "red line."
