US military newspaper editor voices censorship fears after being fired

Erik Slavin, editor-in-chief of US military newspaper Stars and Stripes, has expressed concern over censorship following his dismissal by the US Department of Defense (DoD) for insubordination. Slavin, who has worked for the paper for 21 years, stated that he was fired for stating in an interview that censorship would be a red line in a hypothetical situation.

He believes his dismissal was related to an interview he gave to CBS's Sunday Morning programme last month. Slavin and the paper's publisher, Max Lederer, were both fired, as was a reporter. The Pentagon declined to comment, but the sackings occurred amid tension between the Trump administration and the US media. Stars and Stripes, partially funded by the Pentagon, maintains editorial independence through congressional mandate and DoD rules.

The paper's Middle East reporter, Lara Korte, also confirmed her dismissal, citing insubordination. The dismissals come as the Pentagon has not held a press conference since May, and journalists have refused attempts to interfere with their reporting. The president of the National Press Club, Mark Schoeff Jr., described Slavin's firing as "another brazen attempt by the Pentagon to dictate coverage of the military and should be immediately reversed."