Washington — Three former Stars and Stripes journalists—publisher Max Lederer, editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, and reporter Lara Korte—filed a federal lawsuit on Thursday, August 27, 2026, against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell. The plaintiffs claim the Trump administration is attempting to illegally fire them as part of what they describe as "extraordinary censorship efforts" targeting the military news outlet.

The journalists received separation notices the previous week. Slavin and Korte stated that the alleged insubordination cited in their termination was related to interviews they gave to CBS News for a "CBS Sunday Morning" segment aired in July 2026, where they defended the independence of Stars and Stripes, a partially taxpayer-funded publication.

Their complaint asserts they face "imminent retaliation and termination in violation of their First Amendment and statutory rights." They allege their firing was due both to "speaking up as private citizens in support of the press's freedom to cover military operations" and their reporting on harsh conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.

The lawsuit challenges the Department of Defense's actions as a violation of the First Amendment and DoD regulations and policies, seeking to prevent what the plaintiffs call a blatant infringement on press freedom.

Notably, Erik Slavin was previously a campaign digital reporter covering President Trump's 2024 campaign and served as an associate producer for "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan."

Sources