On September 28, 2026, the International Press Institute (IPI)’s North American Committee (IPI-NAC) held a conversation with Max Lederer, longtime publisher of Stars and Stripes, on the fight to protect editorial independence and press freedom amid direct challenges from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. In August 2026, Lederer was among three senior staff members the Pentagon moved to dismiss, citing insubordination.
The event followed the launch of “Capture and control,” an IPI timeline documenting and tracking efforts by the current Trump administration to expand executive control over the U.S. media.
In conversation with IPI-NAC co-chair John Daniszewski, Lederer discusses his ongoing lawsuit challenging his and his colleagues’ firings, Stars and Stripes’ long history as a trusted source of news for the U.S. military community, and the Pentagon’s ongoing attempts to undermine the paper’s editorial independence.
Watch the discussion: