In brief
Erik Slavin, the long‑time editor‑in‑chief of Stars and Stripes, was dismissed by the Department of Defense for "insubordination" after he warned that censorship would be a red line. The firing comes amid growing tensions between the Trump administration and the media, with other paper staff also removed. Slavin claims a lack of official explanation, while the Pentagon has declined comment. The incident highlights ongoing debates over press freedom within the U.S. armed forces, especially as the newspaper serves more than a million readers worldwide.
Erik Slavin, the editor‑in‑chief of the U.S. military newspaper Stars and Stripes, told the BBC that he was dismissed by the Department of Defense (DoD) for "insubordination" after warning that censorship would be a "red line".
"This is a time when we really need to hear what's happening," Slavin said, adding that Pentagon officials were "less and less inclined to speak on the record." He received no official explanation and is unable to appeal his termination.
The sackings also include the paper’s publisher, Max Lederer, and a reporter, Middle Eastern correspondent Lara Korte, all allegedly fired for insubordination linked to a CBS interview. Lederer announced his retirement saying his vision for the paper differed fundamentally from Pentagon plans.
Stars and Stripes, which has served more than 1.4 million readers daily and is partly funded by the Pentagon, has historically maintained editorial independence by congressional mandate and DoD rules. The dismissal follows a broader clash between the Trump administration and the U.S. press, including a failed 2025 policy that would bar journalists from entering the Pentagon unless reporting was officially authorized.
Mark Schoeff Jr., president of the National Press Club, described the firing as a "brazen attempt by the Pentagon to dictate coverage" and called for immediate reversal. The DoD declined to comment on the matter.
The incident has sparked renewed scrutiny of press freedom within the U.S. armed forces, especially as the newspaper’s workforce continues to publish amid the ongoing Ukraine and Afghanistan conflicts.
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