{
  "id": 2516064,
  "title": "Pentagon dismisses Stars and Stripes publisher, editors over insubordination",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/22/pentagon-dismisses-stars-and-stripes-publisher-editors-over",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-22T05:57:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ajel English",
    "slug": "ajel-english",
    "url": "https://english.ajel.sa/world/vn10w4wl0"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Department of Defense has terminated employment of three high-ranking staff members at Stars and Stripes, a military newspaper. The dismissals include publisher Max Lederer, editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, and Middle East correspondent Lara Court, all of whom are accused of insubordination. Slavin and Court breached protocol by participating in an unauthorized segment of a program that addressed the Pentagon's plans to restructure the newspaper. Lederer, on the other hand, disobeyed orders to reduce the newspaper's workforce. In response, Slavin expressed his stance on the matter in an interview with CBS, stating that to impose censorship on news intended for service members would be a line that should not be crossed. He added, \"The Pentagon accused me of insubordination, but I stand by the newspaper's independence.\" Court also commented on the dismissal, 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.\"",
  "summary": "The Pentagon has fired three senior staff at Stars and Stripes, including its publisher, editor-in-chief, and Middle East correspondent, citing insubordination.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "TheWrap",
        "title": "Pentagon Fires 3 Stars and Stripes Staffers for ‘Insubordination’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/pentagon-fires-3-stars-and-stripes-staffers-for-insubordination",
        "published": "2026-08-21T20:42:33.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}