The Pentagon on Friday fired the editor-in-chief and publisher of the Stars and Stripes newspaper, which has covered the US military since the Civil War, leadership at the publication told US media.
Last weekend, the military announced a new carrier strike group arrived in the region, and Trump said the Lincoln would be swapped out. Shortly before Lederer announced his resignation, active duty US Navy Captain William Urban was installed as military deputy to the publisher, a move interpreted by many, including Democratic lawmakers, as eroding the publication’s independence. Stars and Stripes reporter Lara Korte said she too was sacked, posting on X: “Today, I was informed that the Department of Defense is firing me 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.
Max Lederer, who has served as the publication’s publisher since 2007 and had announced his retirement just three days prior, was also notified he was being terminated, according to CBS.
The publication’s editor-in-chief Erik Slavin told CBS News he was being fired for “insubordination” following an interview with the network where he spoke about disagreements with the Department of Defense.
The aircraft carrier had been deployed since before the Middle East war began in February.
