Pete Hegseth is facing fresh pressure over the escalating turmoil at Stars and Stripes, with two U.S. senators demanding answers about the Pentagon’s involvement in the military newspaper’s leadership amid an explosive legal battle over its editorial independence.
Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal fired off a letter to the Defense Secretary raising concerns about what they called the “degradation of the longstanding editorial independence of Stars and Stripes.”
The August 20 letter centers on the Pentagon’s decision to assign an active-duty Public Affairs officer to serve as a “deputy” to longtime publisher Max Lederer – reportedly without consulting him.
And it comes as Lederer, Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin and reporter Lara Korte wage a bitter federal court battle over proposed personnel actions that they claim amount to retaliation for defending the newspaper’s independence.
All three had been placed on paid administrative leave amid the escalating dispute.
UNLOCK THE FULL CONGRESSIONAL LETTER BELOW: