Longtime publisher of Stars and Stripes to retire, citing differences with Pentagon leadership
The longtime publisher of Stars and Stripes has announced his retirement, ending a decades-long career with the military newspaper as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon moves to exert editorial control and eliminate what it asserts are “woke distractions.” Max D. Lederer Jr.…
Max D. Lederer Jr., the longtime publisher of Stars and Stripes, has announced his retirement, marking the end of a decades-long career with the military newspaper. The retirement, effective at the end of September, was announced in a memo to staff and in an interview with Stars and Stripes. Lederer, the second full-time civilian in the position, stated that his philosophy of leadership and understanding of the newspaper's mission differ fundamentally from the Pentagon's direction.
This announcement occurs less than four months after the Pentagon fired Jacqueline Smith, the ombudsman for the newspaper, charged with safeguarding editorial independence. The news outlet, which is partly funded by the Defense Department, has a long-standing tradition of independence from military and government leadership. The Pentagon's decision to dismiss Lederer and Smith comes in the wake of recent reports on conditions for sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln and concerns for their mental health during the carrier's long deployment.
These issues, which President Donald Trump has downplayed, have been at the forefront of Stars and Stripes' reporting. The Pentagon's moves also coincide with a recent announcement to overhaul the newspaper to align with the department's current messaging and focus on "warfighter" reporting, distancing itself from what the department perceives as "woke distractions."
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