Pentagon Names Its Own Public Affairs Chief as Acting Publisher of Stars and Stripes

The Pentagon has installed Christian Devine, executive director of its public affairs office, as acting publisher of Stars and Stripes, the military newspaper that has published continuously since World War II and describes itself as editorially independent under First Amendment principles.

Devine, a former Marine Corps colonel, will keep his Pentagon public affairs duties while also overseeing Stars and Stripes on an interim basis, splitting time between the two roles until a permanent publisher is named.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced the appointment, telling Fox News Digital that Devine “brings unmatched expertise, strategic vision and a commitment to ensuring Stars and Stripes maintains editorial independence while delivering exclusive, mission-focused reporting that directly serves America’s war fighters and their families.”

“In this interim role, he will provide decisive leadership to modernize Stars and Stripes and to strengthen its mission,” Parnell said.

Devine said in a statement, “It’s a dynamic media organization with a prestigious history and purpose, and I hope I can lend a strong arm during the interim to the men and women who continue to contribute to its notable legacy.”

The Pentagon funds roughly half of Stars and Stripes’ annual budget, according to the paper’s own website. In January, Parnell announced plans to overhaul the publication, writing on X that “the Department of War is returning Stars & Stripes to its original mission: reporting for our warfighters,” and pledging to “refocus its content away from woke distractions that syphon morale.”

“Stars & Stripes will be custom tailored to our warfighters. It will focus on warfighting, weapons systems, fitness, lethality, survivability, and ALL THINGS MILITARY. No more repurposed DC gossip columns; no more Associated Press reprints,” Parnell wrote.

The appointment comes months after the Pentagon fired Stars and Stripes’ longtime publisher Max Lederer, editor-in-chief Erik Slavin and Middle East reporter Lara Korte in August. A source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital the firings followed Slavin and Korte’s unauthorized participation in a “CBS Sunday Morning” segment about the Pentagon’s efforts to overhaul the paper, and Lederer’s refusal to fire them when directed by Pentagon leadership.

The three have since sued the Pentagon over their terminations, alleging they faced “imminent retaliation and termination in violation of their First Amendment and statutory rights.” In September, US District Judge Trevor McFadden denied their request for a temporary restraining order to reverse the firings, ruling they “ultimately fail to carry their significant burden to show that they are clearly entitled to a preliminary injunction.”