Judge Rejects Fired Stars and Stripes Journalists’ Bid to Force Pentagon to Reinstate Them– slaynews.com

A federal judge has handed the Pentagon a legal victory, rejecting an emergency attempt by three fired Stars and Stripes journalists to force their way back into their jobs while they pursue a First Amendment lawsuit against the Trump administration.

U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden denied the request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction filed by Stars and Stripes publisher Max Lederer, editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, and reporter Lara Korte.

McFadden ruled that the journalists “ultimately fail to carry their significant burden to show that they are clearly entitled to a preliminary injunction.”

The three were fired last month after a dispute with Pentagon leadership over unauthorized media appearances and the newspaper’s editorial direction.

They subsequently sued the Pentagon, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, and Principal Deputy Assistant Andrew Brey, accusing the administration of retaliating against them for protected speech.

For now, however, the court has refused to undo the firings.