Pentagon dismisses Stars and Stripes publisher, editors over insubordination
The Pentagon has fired three senior staff at Stars and Stripes, including its publisher, editor-in-chief, and Middle East correspondent, citing insubordination.
Key Takeaways
AIThe US Department of Defense has dismissed three senior staff members at the military newspaper Stars and Stripes, including its publisher, editor-in-chief, and Middle East correspondent, on charges of insubordination.
Those dismissed include publisher Max Lederer, editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, and Middle East correspondent Lara Court.
Slavin and Court participated without authorization in a segment of a program aired last month that discussed Pentagon efforts to restructure the newspaper, while Lederer refused leadership directives to lay off journalists.
Commenting on the decision, Slavin said in an interview with CBS that imposing censorship on news intended for service members would be a red line. He added, "The Pentagon accused me of insubordination, but I stand by the newspaper's independence."
Court also commented, saying, "Today I was informed that the Department of Defense is dismissing me for insubordination, after I told a CBS reporter that I work for the newspaper, not the Pentagon."