EXCLUSIVE: Pete Hegseth Hit with Lawsuit by Stars and Stripes Journalists Accusing Him of Retaliation in Explosive Press Freedom War
Pete Hegseth is facing a lawsuit from Stars and Stripes journalists accusing the Pentagon of retaliation in an escalating press freedom battle.
Aug. 28 2026, Published 2:24 p.m. ET
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been hit with an explosive lawsuit by three Stars and Stripes journalists who claim Pentagon officials are trying to push them out of their jobs in retaliation for defending the military newspaper's editorial independence, RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal.
Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin, reporter Lara Korte and longtime publisher Max Lederer Jr. filed the federal complaint in Washington, D.C., naming Hegseth, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, senior public affairs official Andrew Brey and the Department of Defense as defendants.
According to court documents exclusively obtained by Radar, the journalists claim they are facing "imminent retaliation and termination" in violation of their First Amendment rights as an explosive battle over control of the historic military publication intensifies.
Pentagon Staffers Allege Retaliation Campaign
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is being sued by three Stars and Stripes journalists who claim they are facing retaliation and termination.
The trio alleged Pentagon officials targeted them over comments Slavin and Korte made during a CBS Sunday Morning segment about Stars and Stripes' editorial independence — and following the publication of a bombshell report about conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.
That August 11 report detailed alleged food and water shortages, disrupted mail service, grueling workdays and little time off for the aircraft carrier's roughly 5,000 sailors, as well as concerns over their physical and mental health.
The lawsuit alleged the very next day, Brey directed Lederer to present Slavin and Korte with notices of separation accusing them of insubordination over their earlier CBS comments.
Lederer allegedly refused.
Legal Battle Escalates With Firings
Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin and reporter Lara Korte claim they were targeted after publicly defending Stars and Stripes' editorial independence.
Instead, the longtime publisher decided to retire, according to the complaint, because he did not want to participate in what the lawsuit described as an unlawful effort to punish his colleagues for exercising their First Amendment rights.
The battle then escalated dramatically.
On August 21, according to the complaint, separation notices were delivered to all three journalists, accusing them of insubordination and other violations of Defense Department regulations.
Lawsuit Exposes Behind-the-Scenes Pentagon Tensions
The lawsuit claims Pentagon officials accused senior Stars and Stripes staffers of going into 'open rebellion' against new policies.
The lawsuit alleged the Pentagon wants to terminate the journalists because they publicly expressed personal opinions about the newspaper's operations and because officials disapproved of the Abraham Lincoln reporting.
The filing also revealed extraordinary behind-the-scenes tension between Pentagon officials and Stars and Stripes leadership.
According to the complaint, Parnell criticized Lederer in a July performance review for an alleged "loss of institutional control" over senior staff members who had gone into "open rebellion" against the Pentagon's new policies.
The review allegedly described the Stars and Stripes team's actions as a "revolt" and claimed it was a direct reflection of Lederer's "failed leadership."
Journalists Race to Block Firings
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The journalists are asking a federal judge to block their threatened terminations as their August 29 deadline approaches.
The journalists insist their comments and reporting were protected and argue Stars and Stripes has historically operated with editorial independence from military command.
They are now racing to stop their dismissals before they happen.
Slavin, Korte and Lederer are asking a federal judge for a temporary restraining order, as well as preliminary and permanent injunctions, preventing Hegseth and other Pentagon officials from carrying out the threatened terminations.
The lawsuit claimed the three were expected to respond to their separation notices by August 29 and feared they could be fired immediately afterward unless the court intervenes.
