The editor-in-chief and two reporters for Stars and Stripes were terminated after giving comments on CBS News regarding editorial independence.
Posted by The Lawfare Podcast, Checked
- Sources
- 4 contradict3 support
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 75%
The Lawfare PodcastSep 14, 2026
The core of the claim holds: Stars and Stripes editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, publisher Max Lederer and reporter Lara Korte received termination notices after comments in a CBS News interview about editorial independence. However, the claim's description of 'two reporters' is contradicted, because the second terminated person besides Korte was publisher Lederer, not a reporter.
A detail. The sources confirm the gist; the verdict faults a detail such as a date, number or wording.
What was said
… Trump came into office, there was a regulatory change, um, that Pete Hegsath made, repealing some of the editorial independence that Stars and Stripes previously had. Um, and, uh, while this kind of internal battle over editorial independence was going on, the editor in chief of Stars and Stripes and then also two employees, two reporters for Stars and Stripes, went on CBS News. Um, each of them made comments, um, uh, about, you know, the editorial independence issue, uhm, and subsequently, uh, were terminated, uhm, and then, then they subsequently also filed suit, uh, alleging, you know, violation of their First Amendment rights, um, uh, because they were being terminated related to the comments that they made in that CBS News interview. …
The Lawfare Podcast · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Contradicts. The terminated group was an editor-in-chief, a publisher and one reporter, not an editor-in-chief and two reporters. Lederer, who held the publisher role, is described as a publisher in every source that names him.[1][3][4][5]
Supports. Multiple outlets report that the Pentagon fired or sent separation notices to Slavin (editor-in-chief), Lederer (publisher) and Korte (Middle East reporter) in August 2026, citing insubordination tied to a CBS News interview about editorial independence.[1][2][3][4][6]
Supports. A federal judge (McFadden) declined to block the firings, and the plaintiffs' suit alleges retaliation for their CBS comments, which confirms the termination and its link to the interview.[1][4][7]
Context. Courthouse News describes the firings as involving two journalists plus a publisher, which matches the other sources and further undercuts the 'two reporters' wording.[7]
Sources
7 sources: 2 fact-checkers, 2 tier 2, 3 not rated
- 1Judge won't block Pentagon from firing Stars and Stripes ...apnews.com · fact-checker · cited for: contradicts, supports
- 2Pentagon fires US military newspaper leadershipreuters.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports
- 3Stars and Stripes editor, reporter fired for insubordination after doing CBS interviewpbs.org · tier 2 · cited for: contradicts, supports
- 4Stars and Stripes publisher, editor and reporter sue ...nbcnews.com · tier 2 · cited for: contradicts, supports
- 5Pentagon fires Stars and Stripes publisher after he gave an interview to CBS News over ‘hypothetical censorship'the-independent.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts
- 6Pentagon Fires Editor Of Stars And Stripes After He Gave An Interview To CBS News And Called Potential Censorship A 'Red Line'deadline.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 7Federal judge won't stop Pentagon firing of Stars and Stripes ...courthousenews.com · not rated · cited for: supports, context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
Related claims
- A judge allowed the Pentagon to fire Stars and Stripes journalists.True
- Pete Hegseth made a regulatory change repealing editorial independence that Stars and Stripes previously had.True
- Judge Trevor McFadden declined to prevent the Department of Defense from firing Stars and Stripes journalists and the publication's publisher.True
- Judge McFadden determined that the Stars and Stripes employees were acting within their official capacity when they gave the CBS News interview.True
- Stars and Stripes is funded by the Defense Department.True