Pentagon installs its own public affairs official as acting Stars and Stripes publisher months after firing leadership
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Pentagon → install → leadership
The Pentagon has found a new publisher for Stars and Stripes, at least on an interim basis, appointing Christian Devine, executive director of the Pentagon’s public affairs office, to lead the military newspaper.
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Pentagon → find → newspaper
Stars and Stripes, which has published a newspaper continuously since World War II, describes itself as a source of “independent news and information to the US military community, including active-duty servicemembers, DoD civilians, veterans, contractors, and their families” that is “governed by the principles of the First Amendment.”
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that → publish → Amendment
“The Pentagon is proud to appoint Chris Devine to serve as acting publisher of Stars and Stripes,” chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told Fox News Digital.
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Parnell → appoint → Digital
“As a former Marine Corps colonel and a seasoned public affairs leader, Chris brings unmatched expertise, strategic vision and a commitment to ensuring Stars and Stripes maintains editorial independence while delivering exclusive, mission-focused reporting that directly serves America’s war fighters and their families,” Parnell continued.
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Parnell → bring → fighters
“In this interim role, he will provide decisive leadership to modernize Stars and Stripes and to strengthen its mission.”
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he → provide → mission
Devine will continue his role as executive director and principal advisor in the Pentagon’s public affairs office until a permanent Stars and Stripes publisher is found.
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publisher → continue → office
He is expected to split time between the two gigs.
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He → expect → gigs
“It’s a dynamic media organization with a prestigious history and purpose, and I hope I can lend a strong arm during the interim to the men and women who continue to contribute to its notable legacy,” Devine said in a statement.
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Devine → ’ → statement
The Pentagon, which funds roughly half of Stars and Stripes’ annual budget, according to the newspaper’s website, began 2026 by announcing plans to overhaul the long-running military publication.
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which → fund → publication
“The Department of War is returning Stars & Stripes to its original mission: reporting for our warfighters.
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Department → return → warfighters
We are bringing Stars & Stripes into the 21st century.
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We → bring → century
We will modernize its operations, refocus its content away from woke distractions that syphon morale, and adapt it to serve a new generation of service members,” Parnell posted on X in January.
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Parnell → modernize → January
“Stars & Stripes will be custom tailored to our warfighters.
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Stars → tailor → warfighters
It will focus on warfighting, weapons systems, fitness, lethality, survivability, and ALL THINGS MILITARY.
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It → focus → warfighting
,” Parnell continued.
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Parnell → continue → ?
“Stars & Stripes has a proud legacy of reporting news that’s important to our service members.
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that → have → members
The Department of War is committed to ensuring the outlet continues to reflect that proud legacy.
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outlet → commit → legacy
As part of the shake-up, Stars and Stripes’ longtime publisher Max Lederer, its editor-in-chief Erik Slavin and Middle East reporter Lara Korte were fired in August.
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publisher → fire → August
At the time, a source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital that the firings were a result of Slavin and Korte’s unauthorized participation in a “CBS Sunday Morning” segment about the Pentagon’s efforts to overhaul the paper and Lederer’s refusal to fire them at the direction of Pentagon leadership.
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firings → tell → leadership
They have since filed a lawsuit against the Pentagon over their terminations, alleging they are facing “imminent retaliation and termination in violation of their First Amendment and statutory rights.”
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they → file → rights
In September, US District Judge Trevor McFadden denied a temporary restraining order filed by Stars and Stripes to reverse their firings, claiming they “ultimately fail to carry their significant burden to show that they are clearly entitled to a preliminary injunction.”
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they → deny → injunction
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