Key facts
- Max Lederer, former publisher of Stars and Stripes, stated that critical coverage of the war in Iran was the "underlying cause" of his firing.
- Stars and Stripes is funded in part by the Pentagon but is protected from military censorship and control.
- Erik Slavin, former editor-in-chief of Stars and Stripes, was told his separation was for insubordination, citing comments about censorship.
- The Pentagon also fired the newspaper's ombudsman, who was responsible for safeguarding editorial independence.
Max Lederer, the former publisher of Stars and Stripes, said on Monday that the newspaper's critical coverage of the war in Iran was the "underlying cause" of his firing by the Trump administration last month. Stars and Stripes, which has served American troops for generations, is partly funded by the Pentagon but has historically maintained editorial independence.
Erik Slavin, the former editor-in-chief of Stars and Stripes, stated that he received a notice of proposed separation from the Pentagon for insubordination, citing a CBS interview where he expressed that hypothetical censorship would be a personal red line. Slavin believes this is connected to a broader shakeup at the newspaper, which also saw the publisher fired, a Middle East reporter removed in April, and the ombudsman dismissed. Slavin noted that days before his separation, Stars and Stripes published significant reporting about issues aboard the USS Lincoln, and while this was not cited in his firing notice, he is aware that certain individuals within the administration voiced displeasure with the reporting.