A federal judge refused to halt the Pentagon’s dismissal of three Stars and Stripes reporters, finding the staffers unlikely to prevail on First‑Amendment grounds. Judge Trevor McFadden ruled that the employees’ claims of insubordination and retaliation did not meet the legal threshold for a stay. The decision came after a brief hearing that examined whether the reporters’ coverage of military affairs had crossed the line into disloyal conduct. The ruling leaves the firings in place and underscores the limits of free‑speech protections for military journalists.
A federal judge on Friday declined to stop the Pentagon's termination of three Stars and Stripes staffers for alleged insubordination, ruling they were not likely to succeed in their claims that the firings violated the First Amendment. Judge Trevor McFadden issued the decision hours after a hearing that focused on whether two of the employees...
