Three former employees of Stars and Stripes filed a federal lawsuit against the Department of Defense on Thursday, contending their terminations were unlawful and infringed upon their constitutional free speech protections. The plaintiffs—Max Lederer, the outlet’s former publisher; Erik Slavin, editor-in-chief; and Lara Korte, Middle East correspondent—argue they were targeted by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Pentagon officials for exercising their rights as private citizens to advocate for press freedom.
According to the complaint, Slavin and Korte faced dismissal notices following an 11 August news report detailing challenging conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln during its extended deployment supporting military operations in the Middle East. The article documented that sailors aboard the carrier had endured food and water shortages, interrupted mail delivery, extended work hours, and minimal rest periods over several months, with effects on their physical and mental wellbeing. The journalists claim the Pentagon ordered their removal in retaliation for this coverage.
The plaintiffs assert the timing is significant, noting that while Slavin and Korte had participated in a CBS News interview on 5 July where they objected to potential military censorship, no immediate disciplinary action followed that appearance. The suit characterizes the situation as retaliation for the ship-conditions reporting rather than the earlier media appearance. Lederer, facing orders to fire his subordinates, chose instead to announce his retirement effective at the end of September rather than comply with what the complaint describes as an unlawful directive.
The lawsuit emphasizes Stars and Stripes’ historical role as an independent news organization serving the military community since the Civil War, arguing that editorial independence remains essential to its mission of providing credible journalism to servicemembers and their families worldwide. The Pentagon had not issued a public response to the lawsuit as of Thursday.
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