The former publisher of the storied military newspaper Stars and Stripes says his reporting on the Iran War — and specifically conditions aboard the USS Lincoln — is what got him fired, and he’s now suing top Pentagon officials over it.
Max D. Lederer Jr., speaking Monday from Tokyo, claimed the publication’s coverage clashed with the narrative senior Department of War officials wanted told about the ongoing conflict with Iran. He says reporting on troubling conditions aboard the Lincoln — including malfunctioning equipment and sinking crew morale — was the final straw that led to his ouster.
Lederer was let go alongside two colleagues: editor-in-chief Erik Slavin and reporter Lara Korte. All three have filed a lawsuit naming senior Department of War officials, including Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and top communications official Sean Parnell, alleging they were unfairly terminated. The suit seeks their reinstatement.
Lederer argues the stakes go well beyond his own job, framing the fight as one over whether the military press can cover American forces honestly without fear of political retaliation.
“If a reporter can be fired for saying she works for the newspaper and not a policymaker, or if an editor can be fired for saying that he refuses to use government propaganda, then no journalist in Stars and Stripes can report freely on conditions, on the readiness, on the welfare of American forces,” Lederer said.
Parnell fired back on social media, calling Lederer “not just a sore loser” but “wrong on the law” and “wrong on the facts,” while defending the Pentagon’s “unwavering support” for the paper’s journalistic tradition.
Stars and Stripes has long emphasized its editorial independence, operating under longstanding Pentagon regulations meant to insulate its reporting — even though the paper is ultimately owned by the Department of War.
The paper’s reporting on the Lincoln detailed malfunctioning equipment and deteriorating morale after the carrier spent more than 200 days at sea. Earlier this month, the ship finally left the Middle East, making a brief stop in Thailand before beginning its return journey to the United States.
The lawsuit adds another layer of controversy to the broader debate over military transparency during an active and costly overseas conflict, as questions mount over how much the public is truly being told about conditions facing American troops in the field.
[READ MORE: Elon Musk’s ex makes explosive drug claims in Don Lemon sit-down]
