US news | The Guardian
· collected 2026-09-05 · by Roque Planas and agencies
US District Judge Trevor McFadden has refused to block the Pentagon from firing three Stars and Stripes journalists who spoke out about editorial independence. The judge ruled that the journalists' firings were lawful because they gave interviews to CBS News as part of their official duties, not as private citizens. According to McFadden, the journalists failed to demonstrate how their termination would chill protected expression at the publication. This decision is a setback for the journalists, who argued in a lawsuit that their firing was an attempt by the Pentagon to exert control over the news outlet's editorial content.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
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The ruling by US district judge Trevor McFadden allows the Pentagon to proceed for now in exerting greater editorial control over the historically independent military news outlet.
right frames the Pentagon's actions as 'exerting greater editorial control'
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McFadden, however, concluded that Slavin and Korte were legally dismissed for giving interviews to CBS News as part of their official duties as public employees and not as private citizens.
right accepts the Pentagon's explanation for firing the journalists
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Whatever else such a scheme may violate, it does not clearly offend the first amendment.
right downplays the potential violation of the journalists' first amendment rights
Leaning score +0.35 for article 4430 (medium confidence, 3 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-05
A federal judge has declined to stop the Pentagon from firing journalists who say they were illegally punished for speaking out about the need for the Stars and Stripes publication to maintain its editorial independence.
asserted
publication → decline → independence
The ruling by US district judge Trevor McFadden allows the Pentagon to proceed for now in exerting greater editorial control over the historically independent military news outlet.
asserted
Pentagon → allow → outlet
The journalists are unlikely to prove that the Pentagon violated their first amendment free speech rights, according to McFadden, a Donald Trump appointee.
uncertain
Pentagon → prove → McFadden
He said Stars and Stripes’ editorial independence “is not at stake here”.
asserted
independence → say → stake
“Plaintiffs argue that their termination will chill the protected expression of themselves and others at Stripes,” McFadden wrote.
asserted
McFadden → argue → Stripes
“Plaintiffs have failed to demonstrate a chill here.”
asserted
Plaintiffs → fail → chill
Stars and Stripes publisher Max Lederer, editor-in-chief Erik Slavin and Middle East reporter Lara Korte sued last Thursday in Washington DC, to challenge their firings by the Pentagon, which partially funds the news outlet.
asserted
which → sue → outlet
The lawsuit says that Pentagon officials directed Lederer to fire Slavin and Korte after the publication of an 11 August article detailing deteriorating conditions and mental health crises aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.
asserted
officials → say → Lincoln
Lederer declined to do so and later announced his retirement, saying the Pentagon had installed a new deputy publisher without his knowledge.
asserted
Pentagon → decline → knowledge
McFadden, however, concluded that Slavin and Korte were legally dismissed for giving interviews to CBS News as part of their official duties as public employees and not as private citizens.
asserted
Slavin → conclude → citizens
“They are being fired for giving pre-approved interviews on their paper’s behalf in which they largely toed the company line,” the judge wrote.
asserted
judge → fire → line
“Whatever else such a scheme may violate, it does not clearly offend the first amendment.”
uncertain
it → violate → amendment
The defense department and defense secretary Pete Hegseth are among the lawsuit’s named defendants.
asserted
department → name → defendants
McFadden’s ruling deals a blow to the journalists, whose lawsuit argues that they should be reinstated to their jobs.
asserted
they → deal → jobs
An attorney for the journalists called the ruling “disappointing”, according to CNN.
uncertain
attorney → call → CNN
At least two other lawsuits accused the Pentagon of interfering with Stars and Stripes’ editorial integrity and independence.
asserted
lawsuits → accuse → integrity
Pulitzer-winning reporters Susan Dardarian and William Church, who serve as advisory board members to the publication, sued the Pentagon in June, accusing the military of illegal censorship.
asserted
who → win → censorship
The publication’s former ombudsman, Jacqueline Smith, sued the Pentagon the same month, saying she was fired in retaliation for an opinion column, in violation of her first amendment rights.
asserted
she → sue → rights
