EXCLUSIVE: Pete Hegseth Hit With Fresh Retaliation Allegation as Fired Stars and Stripes Boss Claims Critical Pentagon Coverage Was 'Real Reason' for Purge
Pete Hegseth faces fresh retaliation claims from former Stars and Stripes staffers who allege critical Pentagon coverage was the real reason behind their firings.
Sept. 14 2026, Updated 5:27 p.m. ET
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been hit with a fresh retaliation accusation from the former publisher of Stars and Stripes, who claims critical Pentagon coverage was the "real reason" he and two other journalists were fired, RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal.
Former Stars and Stripes publisher Max D. Lederer Jr. spoke out Monday as he continues battling the Pentagon in federal court alongside former editor-in-chief Erik Slavin and reporter Lara Korte.
Hegseth Faces Fresh Retaliation Claim
Pete Hegseth is facing renewed scrutiny as former Stars and Stripes staffers accuse Pentagon leadership of retaliation.
According to court documents obtained by Radar, the trio sued the Department of Defense, Hegseth, and other Pentagon officials last month, alleging their firings violated the First Amendment and amounted to retaliation for defending the military newspaper's editorial independence.
Now, Lederer is claiming the Pentagon's stated reason for the firings — alleged insubordination — does not tell the whole story.
"I believe the coverage was the real reason — the underlying cause of what's happened," Lederer told reporters Monday at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan.
The Pentagon has maintained the firings were tied to insubordination, not the newspaper’s coverage.
Publisher Claims Coverage Was 'Real Reason'
Former Stars and Stripes publisher Max Lederer says critical Pentagon reporting was the 'underlying cause' behind the firings.
Slavin and Korte allegedly drew the Pentagon's ire after appearing on CBS Sunday Morning and defending Stars and Stripes' longstanding independence from political and military influence.
According to the complaint, tensions escalated after the newspaper published an August 11 report detailing troubling conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.
The following day, Pentagon officials allegedly directed Lederer to begin the process of firing Slavin and Korte.
Lederer questioned the legal basis for the move and refused, according to the lawsuit. Days later, all three received proposed separation notices.
Pentagon Accused of Demanding Loyalty
The lawsuit claims Pentagon officials pressured Stars and Stripes staff while accusing senior employees of 'open rebellion.'
The lawsuit also points to a July performance review written by Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, which allegedly accused senior Stars and Stripes employees of "open rebellion."
The review reportedly stated that "the most important element of the performance plan is the faithful administration of POTUS policies."
Lawyers for the journalists argue the language shows Pentagon leadership was demanding political loyalty from a publication specifically designed to operate with editorial independence.
The plaintiffs claim their terminations were punishment for resisting that pressure.
The Defense Department has rejected the retaliation allegations and maintains the firings resulted from misconduct and insubordination rather than unfavorable reporting.
Journalists' Legal Battle Against Pentagon Continues
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Stars and Stripes journalists defended the outlet's editorial independence during a CBS Sunday Morning appearance.
The journalists filed their lawsuit in Washington, D.C., on August 27 and initially sought emergency court intervention to stop the terminations.
A federal judge later declined to immediately block the personnel actions, but the underlying lawsuit remains active.
Lederer's latest remarks put renewed attention on the still-active federal case, where he, Slavin, and Korte are challenging the Pentagon's actions and arguing their firings crossed constitutional lines.
The Pentagon, meanwhile, continues to dispute that their journalism was the reason they lost their jobs.
