The Pentagon has dismissed the editor-in-chief and publisher of Stars and Stripes, the US military newspaper, amid an ongoing dispute over the publication’s editorial independence and plans to overhaul its operations.
Editor-in-chief Erik Slavin and publisher Max Lederer were given separation notices by the Pentagon on Friday, according to reports. The notices reportedly give both men five days to appeal the decisions.
Slavin said he was dismissed for insubordination after discussing the possibility of censorship in a CBS interview. He had argued that restricting news coverage for military personnel would cross a critical line for the newspaper.
“We need to be able to provide independent news to service members,” Slavin said in the interview, stressing that the publication should not become a public relations outlet.
Stars and Stripes receives some financial support from the Pentagon but has maintained editorial independence for decades. The newspaper serves US military personnel and their families around the world.
The dismissals come as the Department of Defense has been pursuing a major restructuring of the publication.
In January, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the department wanted to return Stars and Stripes to what it considered its original mission while modernising its operations and changing its content. He said the newspaper would be refocused to better serve a new generation of service members.
An internal Pentagon plan revealed in March included a requirement that the newspaper’s content support “good order and discipline”. The plan also called for changes to the publication’s operations, including a move away from printed products toward digital platforms.
Lederer had already announced earlier this week that he planned to retire on September 30 after almost 20 years as publisher. He said his decision followed fundamental disagreements with the Pentagon over the newspaper’s purpose and future.
He raised concerns about plans to end printed editions, arguing that such a move could make the newspaper less accessible to some members of the military.
“I think the right step is for me to step down, get out of the way, and let different leadership step in,” Lederer said.
The latest dismissals follow the April firing of Stars and Stripes ombudsman Jacqueline Smith, whose role included monitoring the newspaper’s editorial independence.
Smith said at the time that she believed her dismissal was connected to her criticism of the Pentagon’s plans for the publication. She later filed a federal lawsuit against the Department of Defense, alleging that her firing was retaliatory and violated her First Amendment rights.
The developments have raised further questions about the future editorial direction of Stars and Stripes as the Pentagon presses ahead with its restructuring plans.
