US military newspaper editor voices censorship fears after being fired

The editor-in-chief of US military newspaper Stars and Stripes, Erik Slavin, has expressed concerns about censorship following his dismissal by the US Department of Defense (DoD) for "insubordination". Slavin stated that he believes his termination was due to his comments about censorship being a "red line" in a hypothetical situation.

Two other Stars and Stripes employees, including the paper's Middle East reporter Lara Korte, were also fired for insubordination, reportedly in connection with an interview they gave to CBS's Sunday Morning programme. Slavin, a 21-year veteran of the paper, claimed he was not given a formal explanation for his dismissal and is considering his response, even though he is barred from appealing.

The Pentagon has declined to comment on the dismissals, which come amid tension between the Trump administration and the US media. This comes at a time when the Pentagon has not held a press conference since May, and journalists have refused attempts to interfere with their reporting. Slavin's dismissal has sparked criticism, with Mark Schoeff Jr, president of the National Press Club, calling it "another brazen attempt by the Pentagon to dictate coverage of the military and should be immediately reversed".

Stars and Stripes, partially funded by the Pentagon, is editorially independent through congressional mandate and DoD rules. The newspaper's average daily readership, mostly online, is approximately 1.4 million.