Pentagon Firing Military Newspaper Editor Raises First Amendment Question

In practice, the Pentagon has been accused of attempting to stifle free speech after a fired editor for military newspaper Stars and Stripes remarked he was ousted after objecting to censorship.

Key points

• "People should be outraged, " Will Creely, legal director of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), informed Newsweek on Friday.
• On Friday, Navy Captain William Urban, the new military deputy to the publisher of Stars and Stripes, penned an open letter to "stakeholders."
• But earlier this year, the Pentagon fired the ombudsman, Jacqueline Smith, fueling reservations concerning the future of the newspaper's independence.
• Newsweek has reached out to Slavin via his LinkedIn page on Friday afternoon for comment.
• "The Pentagon's public affairs office has charged me with insubordination, " Slavin informed the news outlet.

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Meanwhile, the newspaper is an significant source of military news and has a long history of editorial independence from the Pentagon. It does provide funding for the outlet. When it created an ombudsman position to ensure its reporting remained independent from Pentagon leadership, in fact, Congress mandated its editorial independence in 1991.

For context, the moves from President Donald Trump's administration have sparked similar questions regarding whether the outlet will remain independent from military leadership and broader questions concerning free speech and freedom of the press.

"People should be outraged, " Will Creely, legal director of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), informed Newsweek on Friday. "As we continue to see these attacks on the press, we risk losing our American exceptionalism when it comes to protecting free speech, the free press and free minds."

On Friday, newspaper Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin informed CBS News he was fired over an interview he provided with the news network in July in which he noted "that censorship of news for service members would constitute a red line."

"The Pentagon's public affairs office has charged me with insubordination, " Slavin informed the news outlet. "I stand by the principle that Stars and Stripes must remain editorially independent, as required by law and by the department's own policies."

Meanwhile, Lara Korte, a reporter for the newspaper, wrote in a post to X that she was additionally fired for insubordination after telling a CBS News reporter that she worked "for Stars and Stripes – not the Pentagon, not any administration, and not any policy maker."

In her post, she called attention to the reservations around free speech.

"I consider it a great privilege to live alongside members of the military and share their stories. It's a shame for the institution and service members. This person swore to defend the Constitution and deserve the right to a free and independent press, " she wrote.

Earlier this week, longtime Stars and Stripes publisher Max D. Lederer Jr. Confirmed his retirement, citing differences with Pentagon leadership.

He wrote in a memo to staff it had "become clear that my philosophy of leadership, and my understanding of the value and mission of Stars and Stripes, differ in fundamental ways from the direction the leadership of the Department of Defense has for the organization."

Newsweek has reached out to Slavin via his LinkedIn page on Friday afternoon for comment. 'Stars and Stripes' Firings Fuel Reservations Over Free Speech.

Creely of FIRE additionally informed Newsweek that the firings are "just the latest attack from this administration on our free speech."

"The First Amendment protects freedom of the press for a reason. This administration time and again has gone after our independent and free press for reporting that they don't like, for views that they would rather not hear and for trying to keep the public informed, " he remarked. "That hostility to our free speech has included a string of attacks on the Stars and Stripes, which is congressionally mandated since 1991 to be governed by First Amendment principles."

For context, the First Amendment should create it "clear" to Pentagon leadership that it cannot reconcile the freedom of the press guaranteed in the Constitution with "trying to shut down editorial independence, " Creely went on.

"Our brave men and women in the armed forces take an oath to protect and defend our Constitution. They can handle a free and independent press. In fact, they deserve it. Stars and Stripes has long enjoyed editorial independence. It should retain that editorial independence to stay true to the constitutional values our servicemembers take an oath to defend, " he remarked.

Others have additionally assailed the Pentagon, accusing it of attempting to control the narrative. "They lie regarding the progress of the war. They lie regarding the conditions of the troops. They suppress independent reporting. Welcome to Trump's and Hegseth's military, " conservative writer Bill Kristol posted to X.

Journalist Caitlin Doornbos wrote in a post to X that she is "at a loss for words" over the firings. "Stars and Stripes is editorially independent by law. This shouldn't be happening, " she wrote.

Brian Stelter, additionally a journalist, described the latest firing as a "blow to press freedoms within the US military, " in a post to X. Navy Captain Problems Memo After Firings.

"I understand that I am now part of a team, committed to editorially independent journalism that best serves our most important customer, which is our service members, their families, and our greater military community, " he wrote.

Urban continued that he was "excited" to work with Lederer and planned to discuss modernization efforts with him, and sent him a memo this week, before Lederer's retirement announcement. Urban remarked his vision for the newspaper is to secure "more eyeballs" on its content and have "more impact on our service members while maintaining the highest standard of professional journalism with the credibility that comes with editorial independence."

In practice, a Pentagon spokesperson pointed to the letter when reached by Newsweek for comment on Friday. This article includes reporting by the Associated Press. Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Edward T. Cummins.

Taken together, the developments around pentagon Firing Military Newspaper Editor Raises First Amendment Question point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.