Stars and Stripes journalists sue US Defense Dept over firings

Three staff at the storied US military publication Stars and Stripes on Thursday sued the Department of Defense, saying it had fired them in violation of their constitutional right to free speech.

In their lawsuit, seen by AFP, its editor-in-chief, publisher and a reporter allege the Pentagon retaliated against them for a news report about deteriorating conditions aboard a US aircraft carrier during an extended deployment in the Middle East.

"This action seeks to prevent the blatant violation of the First Amendment rights of these journalists and challenges the US Department of Defense's extraordinary censorship efforts," the court filing to the US District Court for Washington DC says, contending that their firings were illegal and demanding their reinstatement.

Editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, publisher Max Lederer and reporter Lara Korte were fired last week, days after publishing an August 11 story on conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which provoked fresh criticism of President Donald Trump's war against Iran.

The lawsuit says that on August 12, the Pentagon ordered Lederer to fire Slavin and Norte, charging them with "insubordination" for statements they made weeks earlier in an interview with CBS about Stars and Stripes' editorial independence. Then on August 21, all three of them were fired.

Stars and Stripes, which has covered the US military since the Civil War in the 1860s, is partially funded by the Defense Department but has long maintained editorial independence.

"Stripes is governed by the principles of the First Amendment and exists to provide independent news and information to the US military community," says the lawsuit.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who is among the defendants in the lawsuit, has been severely critical of the media since taking the helm in 2025, and the independence of Stars and Stripes and other military media has come under threat.

The department stated earlier this year it was seeking to steer the publication's coverage away from "woke distractions."

AFP has sought comment on the lawsuit from the Defense Department.