Three journalists from Stars and Stripes, an independent military newspaper, have filed a lawsuit against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other officials to prevent their firings, which they claim are retaliatory actions for their coverage and advocacy for press freedom. The plaintiffs, former editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, former publisher Max Lederer Jr., and former reporter Lara Korte, allege in a 45-page complaint that retaliation began after they publicly supported the newspaper's editorial independence last month. The lawsuit references a CBS Sunday Morning segment aired in early July, titled "The Battle over Stars and Stripes," where Slavin and Korte criticized the Pentagon's influence over the newspaper's direction.
The lawsuit was filed on Thursday in federal district court in Washington, D.C., and claims that retaliation intensified following a report published by Stars and Stripes about the mental health of sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which was not authored by the plaintiffs. This legal action represents a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the newspaper and the Pentagon, which has reportedly targeted Stars and Stripes as part of broader cultural disputes within the Defense Department. Earlier this year, officials announced plans to take control of the newspaper, labeling its coverage as "woke distractions that syphon morale."
The paper's ombudsman was dismissed months later after expressing concerns about the Pentagon's oversight plans threatening the newspaper's editorial independence, a matter currently under separate litigation. According to the complaint, approximately half of Stars and Stripes' budget is funded by the Defense Department, while the remainder comes from subscriptions and other revenue sources. Despite this funding relationship, a federal regulation established in the early 1990s mandates the newspaper's editorial independence. The lawsuit also addresses ongoing litigation regarding the Trump administration's attempts to overturn this regulation.
In addition to Hegseth and Sean Parnell, the Defense Department's chief spokesperson, the lawsuit names Andrew Brey, the principal deputy assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, as a defendant. Defense Department representatives did not respond immediately to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit.
Both Slavin and Korte had received prior approval from their supervisors to participate in the CBS interview, according to the complaint. In the interview, Slavin expressed that a "red line" for him would be being required to publish content dictated by the Pentagon, while Korte emphasized her commitment to the newspaper's independence from the Pentagon and political figures. The lawsuit describes these statements as personal opinions.
Following the publication of the USS Lincoln story, officials allegedly ordered Lederer to terminate Slavin and Korte for "insubordination" due to their media statements. Lederer declined to carry out the terminations and chose to retire instead, citing his unwillingness to participate in what he described as an illegal scheme to punish the journalists for exercising their First Amendment rights. Just over a week after Lederer's retirement announcement, on August 21, Defense Department officials attempted to terminate all three journalists, citing their media statements as justification.
The plaintiffs are seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent their firings from taking effect, arguing that the terminations would infringe upon their First Amendment rights. Korte, residing in Germany, stated in a post on X regarding the lawsuit, "Everyone deserves the right to a free and independent press, especially our service members. This lawsuit is about safeguarding the mission of Stars and Stripes journalists so they can continue to do their jobs without fear or retaliation."