SAN FRANCISCO
Lee Heidhues 9.2.2026
Stars and Stripes has been essential reading for the troops since World War II and the several American involvements since then: Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and now Iran to name several
Its tabloid style complete with graphic photos, hard news, gossip and sports provides entertainment to the servicemen and women. Thin skinned Defense Secretary (oops, War Secretary) and Vietnam War (1961-1975) draft dodger Trump want nothing but mindless patriotism on its pages. Not seeing that the editor has been fired for “insubordination”.
Excerpted from Deutsche Welle 8.22.2026
The US Pentagon has sacked the editor, publisher and a reporter of military newspaper Stars and Stripes after they publicly objected to potential editorial interference, they said on Friday.
The newspaper, which has been publishing since World War II, is partially funded by the Defense Department but has remained editorially independent.
“According to the notice, I am being fired for stating in a CBS interview that hypothetical censorship of news for service members would constitute a personal red line,” Stars and Stripes Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin said in a statement on Friday.
Slavin received a notice of separation for insubordination, as did Publisher Max Lederer and Middle East reporter Lara Korte, Slavin was cited by the Associated Press as saying.
Lederer, who has served as the newspaper’s publisher since 2007, had announced his intention to retire from his position in September.
In an email announcing his retirement, Lederer had said it was clear that the Pentagon had a new vision for the newspaper which differed from his own.
It came a few weeks after the Pentagon installed Navy Captain William Urban, an active duty serviceman, as the outlet’s deputy editor, without Lederer’s prior knowledge.
Meanwhile, Korte said on social media she was being fired for insubordination “after I told a CBS reporter that I work for Stars and Stripes – not the Pentagon, not any administration, and not any policy maker.”
Stars and Stripes sacked by Trump big mouth Def Sec Hegseth
https://www.dw.com/en/pentagon-fires-military-newspaper-leadership-for-insubordination/a-78466373
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