Pentagon fires leaders of military newspaper Stars and Stripes

Pentagon fires leaders of military newspaper Stars and Stripes  CNN

Fired Editor Of Stars And Stripes Military Newspaper Says He’s Concerned About Censorship At The Pentagon  Forbes

The Pentagon has fired the editor-in-chief and publisher of Stars and Stripes newspaper amid an editorial freedom row. Learn more about the Pentagon sacks

The firings came after the paper, which is partially funded by the Pentagon but has long had editorial independence, reported on grim conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.

Stars and Stripes is partially funded by the DOD but has long maintained editorial independence.

"According to the notice, I am being fired for stating in a CBS interview that hypothetical censorship of news for service members would constitute a personal red line," Erik Slavin said.

Editor-in-chief Erik Slavin has suggested his firing was retaliation for speaking out about editorial independence.

“People should be outraged,” Will Creely, FIRE's legal director, told Newsweek.

The Pentagon fired three staffers from the military newspaper Stars and Stripes, including longtime publisher Max Lederer, for alleged insubordination.

The news comes about a month after the editor stressed the importance of the newspaper’s independence in an interview, and a few days after the publisher announced his plans to retire.

Max Lederer and Erik Slavin receive termination notices after publication reported on crew conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln The Pentagon is reported to have fired the publisher and the editor of Stars & Stripes, the US military news outlet that has clashed with the Trump administration and armed forces brass over

Erik Slavin, the fired editor in chief, said, “I stand by the principle that Stars and Stripes should remain independent for service members."

As the Pentagon takes steps to control the newspaper in spite of its tradition of independence and civilian leadership, senators are demanding answers.

The exit follows the Pentagon's ouster of ombudsman Jacqueline Smith and reports of a new deputy installed without the publisher's knowledge

Max Lederer Jr., the publisher of Stars and Stripes, has stepped down amidst disputes over editorial independence. The Pentagon's push for more oversight has sparked tension regarding the military newspaper's objective reporting. Their recent pieces on poor conditions and declining morale reportedly led to criticism fr