Stars and Stripes editor, reporter fired for insubordination after doing CBS interview

The Pentagon has fired the editor-in-chief and publisher of Stars and Stripes, a military news outlet that has maintained editorial independence since covering the US military during the Civil War. According to CBS News, Erik Slavin, the editor-in-chief, was let go for insubordination after an interview with the network where he discussed disagreements with the Department of Defense.

Max Lederer, the publisher since 2007, was also terminated, as was reporter Lara Korte, who stated she was sacked for saying she works for Stars and Stripes, not the Pentagon or any administration. The firings come after the newspaper reported on difficult conditions for crew members on the USS Abraham Lincoln, which drew criticism of former President Donald Trump's policies.

The Department of Defense cited insubordination as the reason for the terminations, with the fired employees given five days to appeal their dismissals, as per CBS News. Stars and Stripes is partially funded by the Department of Defense but has historically maintained its editorial independence.

Brief written by urgent.news from PBS NewsHour, New Straits Times, The Hill, Deadline, The Guardian US — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.