Pentagon officials considering firing Stars and Stripes publisher, sources say
Max Lederer, who has served as the publisher of Stars and Stripes for 19 years, this week announced to colleagues his decision to retire on Sept. 30, citing fundamental differences with the Trump administration.
Pentagon officials have reportedly considered terminating the publisher of Stars and Stripes, according to sources. Max Lederer, who has led the military news outlet for 19 years, announced his retirement on September 30, citing fundamental disagreements with the Trump administration. Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin has also publicly expressed dissent with Pentagon leaders.
The outlet, which receives approximately 65% of its funding from the Defense Department, has maintained its editorial independence from the military establishment. A recent policy shift by the Trump administration aims to modernize Stars and Stripes, focusing content on warfighting, weapons systems, and other military topics while eliminating features like "woke distractions" and AP reprints.
However, critics argue that the newspaper has become more of an aggregator of news rather than a provider of original reporting. Despite declining readership and print circulation, Stars and Stripes continues to serve as a crucial source of military information for service members overseas.
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