A trio of Senate Democrats is expressing concern over the Pentagon’s involvement in the operations of Stars and Stripes, defending the publication’s independence in a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday.

Their inquiry follows an announcement this week that the military newspaper’s longtime publisher, Max Lederer, will be retiring after the Pentagon appointed an active-duty Navy captain to a top role at the paper without consulting him.

Lederer said his decision to step down stemmed from “fundamental” differences between his and the department’s visions for the paper. The publisher will depart his role at the end of next month.

The senators wrote in their Thursday letter that the appointment of William Urban, an active-duty Navy captain and public affairs officer, as Lederer’s deputy “raises serious questions” about the paper’s independence.

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