Stars and Stripes Staffers Sue Pentagon Over Alleged Retaliatory Firings
Three staff members of the military-focused newspaper Stars and Stripes have filed a lawsuit against the Department of Defense (DoD), alleging retaliatory firings that violate their First Amendment rights. The lawsuit, filed on August 27, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, seeks to prevent the terminations of publisher Max D. Lederer Jr., editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, and Middle East reporter Lara Korte.
The plaintiffs claim their dismissals, officially cited as "insubordination," followed a CBS News interview where they defended the newspaper's editorial independence. This interview was in response to a report on deteriorating conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which had been at sea for over 250 consecutive days without a port call.
Named defendants in the case include the Department of Defense, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, and public affairs official Andrew Brey. The plaintiffs argue that the firings were a direct response to their reporting and public statements, constituting a breach of their free speech rights and federal administrative law.
In addition to halting their terminations, the plaintiffs are seeking a temporary restraining order. They are represented by a legal team from the Democracy Defenders Fund, Lawyers For Good Government, the Government Accountability Project, and Yale Law’s Media Freedom & Information Access Clinic.
This legal action follows a series of Pentagon policy shifts earlier in 2026, which imposed content restrictions on Stars and Stripes, including barring the use of certain news wires and features, and emphasizing content that reinforces "good order and discipline."