In brief
The editor‑in‑chief of the U.S. military newspaper Stars and Stripes, Erik Slavin, was sacked by the Department of Defense for "insubordination" after a CBS interview. He claims the dismissal came after he warned that censorship could become a "red line" for the publication. His firing follows a trend of tension between the Pentagon and the media, with other staff members also dismissed. The move has triggered backlash from press advocates who see it as an attempt by Washington to control coverage of the armed forces. While the Pentagon declined to comment, the incident underscores the fragile balance between national‑security interests and journalistic freedom.
The chief editor of the U.S. military newspaper Stars and Stripes, Erik Slavin, was dismissed by the Department of Defense for "insubordination" after an interview with CBS that raised fears of tighter censorship limits on the publication.
Slavin told the BBC that Washington had become increasingly reluctant to speak on the record and that the Pentagon was edging toward restrictive control, citing an interview where he warned that censorship might be a "red line." The dismissal came only a day after the DoD announced his removal from the post.
The Paper has long maintained editorial independence despite partial funding from the Pentagon, supported by congressional mandates and DoD rules. In addition to Slavin, a reporter named Lara Korte and the publisher Max Lederer were also fired. Lederer announced his retirement when he said the Pentagon’s vision for the paper conflicted with its mission and values.
Slavin, who has worked at Stars and Stripes for 21 years, said the Pentagon offered no formal reason for his termination and he could not appeal the decision. He was reportedly critical of coverage about conditions aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, a vessel in extended service in the Gulf amid the Israel‑Iran conflict.
The firing has triggered criticism from press bodies. Mark Schoeff Jr., president of the National Press Club, described it as a "brazen attempt by the Pentagon to dictate coverage" and called for an immediate reversal. The Civilian press has previously challenged new Pentagon rules that would bar coverage unless it was officially authorized.
An estimated 1.4 million readers access Stars and Stripes online each day, with the paper also printed abroad for troops in areas where Internet access is limited.
The incident reflects broader fraught relations between the Trump administration and the U.S. media, particularly during the period when the White House took control of the presidential press pool. Judicial decisions last year reinstated the Associated Press’s access to talks with officials, underscoring the legal pushback against new restrictions.
For more on the broader political climate, see the recent BBC coverage of Trump’s press pool decisions and the state of journalism under the Trump administration.
