Stars and Stripes publisher could be fired before planned retirement, sources say
Max Lederer, longtime head of the US military news outlet, says his ‘philosophy of leadership’ differs from Pentagon’s
TL;DR
- Pentagon officials are reportedly discussing the early dismissal of Stars and Stripes publisher Max Lederer.
- Lederer was already scheduled to retire next month and cited fundamental differences with the Trump administration's direction.
- The news comes after Stars and Stripes reported on deteriorating conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.
- The publication has faced pressure from the Pentagon to refocus its content away from perceived "woke distractions" and towards "warfighting, weapons systems, fitness, lethality, survivability, and ALL THINGS MILITARY."
- An ombudsman for the publication, Jacqueline Smith, was fired in January after writing a story critical of Pentagon restrictions and subsequently sued the Pentagon, alleging retaliatory termination.