Three journalists fired from the government-backed Stars and Stripes military newspaper earlier this month are suing the Pentagon, alleging they were punished for publishing news reports about conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. Max Lederer, the outlet's then-publisher, editor-in-chief Erik Slavin and Middle East correspondent Lara Korte allege they were fired for "speaking up as private citizens in support of the press’s freedom to cover military operations, its need to reach all servicepersons," according to documents filed on Thursday. The complaint alleges they were axed from their jobs partly "in retaliation for their publication of a news report on deteriorating conditions" on the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has spent a record-breaking run at sea while deployed in the Middle East during the U.S. war with Iran.
Stars and Stripes is funded by the U.S. government, but has long said it is editorially independent of the Pentagon. The filing alleges the Pentagon felt "displeasure" after Slavin and Korte appeared on a CBS segment on July 5 to discuss their concerns over potential editorial oversight from the Department of Defense, but that the Pentagon did not act at that time. The complaint alleges the Pentagon fired Slavin and Korte for "insubordination" in relation to their CBS appearance the day after Stars and Stripes published a report on conditions for the roughly 5,000 sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln on August 11.
The outlet reported the Lincoln's crew had suffered shortages of food and water, intermittent access to mail, long work days and limited time off for several months, contributing to poor mental health among those on board. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Pentagon official Andrew Brey, and Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell were all named in the suit in their official capacities. This is a breaking story; more to follow.
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