Trump Clash Forces Out US Military Newspaper Boss

Max D Lederer Jr, the publisher of Stars and Stripes, a US military newspaper, has resigned due to fundamental differences with the Trump administration. The resignation comes amid the administration's efforts to seek greater control over the newspaper and bring it into alignment with government priorities.

Lederer cited these differences as the reason for his resignation, which was announced in a memo to staff. The Trump administration has sought to bring Stars and Stripes into greater alignment with government priorities, with Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stating that the outlet will focus on warfighting, weapons systems, fitness, lethality, survivability, and military topics.

The newspaper's readership has declined in recent years, with print delivery sliding from 7 million annual copies in 2019 to 6.2 million in 2024, and unique visitors to stripes.com falling 30% in that period. Despite this decline, Stars and Stripes remains an institution in the US military, having been founded in 1861.

The Trump administration has accused the publication of promoting 'woke distractions', and has slammed the outlet for bringing attention to poor conditions and declining morale on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. The Pentagon has also fired Jacqueline Smith, the newspaper's ombudsman, who was charged with protecting its reporting from political interference.

## What's at stake The resignation of Max Lederer Jr raises concerns about the editorial independence of Stars and Stripes, which receives about 65% of its funding from the Defense Department. The newspaper has long prided itself on its independence from the public affairs apparatus at the Pentagon, but the Trump administration's efforts to exert greater control over the outlet have sparked criticism.

The future of Stars and Stripes remains uncertain, with the Pentagon discussing an overhaul of the military news outlet. The administration's plans for the outlet are unclear, but it has stated that it will modernize its operations and refocus its content away from 'woke distractions'.

## Background Stars and Stripes has been a staple of the US military for over a century, providing news and information to service members around the world. The newspaper has a long history of editorial independence, but the Trump administration's efforts to exert greater control over the outlet have raised concerns about its ability to maintain this independence.

The resignation of Max Lederer Jr is the latest development in a long-running saga over the future of Stars and Stripes. The newspaper's readership may be declining, but it remains an important source of news and information for service members, and its editorial independence is crucial to its ability to provide accurate and unbiased reporting.