The Pentagon has terminated Erik Slavin, the editor-in-chief of Stars and Stripes, along with Middle East reporter Lara Korte. This decision was made due to what the Pentagon described as insubordination, following their public opposition to any potential interference with the editorial independence of the military newspaper. The dismissals raise questions about the future of journalistic integrity within military-affiliated media.
The dismissals were announced Friday and also affected Max Lederer, the newspaper’s publisher, who had recently announced plans to retire, according to The Associated Press report .
Slavin said he received a notice of separation after speaking publicly against the possibility of military censorship, according to the AP. Slavin said he was fired for insubordination after giving an interview in which he objected to hypothetical censorship of news provided to US service members. “I stand by the principle that Stars and Stripes must remain editorially independent, as required by law and by the department’s own policies,” Slavin said, according to the AP report. In a post on X, Korte said she had been informed that the Defense Department was firing her for insubordination after she told a CBS reporter that she worked for Stars and Stripes, not the Pentagon, the administration or any policymaker.
The announcement comes amid growing tensions between Stars and Stripes leadership and the Pentagon over the outlet’s independence and editorial direction.
“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,” her post read. Mark Schoeff Jr., president of the National Press Club, called Slavin’s firing “deeply troubling” and said the decision should be reversed.
