Pentagon Fires Stars And Stripes Leaders

The Pentagon fired Stars and Stripes publisher Max Lederer, editor-in-chief Erik Slavin and Middle East reporter Lara Korte, issuing separation notices on Friday to the U.S. military news outlet’s senior ranks. Slavin said his notice cited insubordination after he said in an interview that hypothetical censorship of the paper would be a “red line”; Korte said she was fired after saying she works for Stars and Stripes, not the Pentagon. Lederer and Slavin were given five days to appeal. Stars and Stripes is partly Defense Department-funded but operates with editorial independence.