Judge allows Pentagon to fire Stars and Stripes journalists
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
A federal judge allowed the Pentagon to fire three Stars and Stripes journalists. The ruling tests press freedom within the military.
Background
Stars and Stripes is a military newspaper owned and partly funded by the Defense Department, but federal regulations have long emphasized its editorial independence. The three journalists—publisher Max Lederer, editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, and Middle East reporter Lara Korte—were issued separation notices on Aug. 21, 2026, after speaking out in a CBS News interview about editorial independence and censorship concerns. They sued, claiming their firings violated First Amendment rights, but the judge ruled the government likely did not violate those rights.
How it unfolded
- Aug 21, 2026The Pentagon issued separation notices to the three journalists, citing insubordination and violations of regulations based on their CBS statements.
- Sep 2, 2026The Justice Department defended the Pentagon's decision, arguing the firings were not retaliation for coverage.
- Sep 4, 2026U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden denied a temporary restraining order, allowing the Pentagon to proceed with the firings.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- The Pentagon argued the firings were based on insubordination and violations of regulations, not retaliation for coverage.
- Journalists
- The three journalists said they were disappointed and believe the Pentagon should not fire journalists for speaking out against censorship.
- Judge
- Judge McFadden found the government likely did not violate the journalists' First Amendment rights.
Still unverified
The journalists allege the firings were retaliation for coverage of poor conditions on the USS Lincoln, but the government claims the decision was made before that article was published.