Arabic version: البنتاغون يقيل رئيس تحرير وناشر «ستارز آند سترايبس»

According to The Guardian, the Pentagon has fired Stars and Stripes editor-in-chief Erik Slavin, publisher Max Lederer and Middle East reporter Lara Korte. Slavin told the Associated Press that he was dismissed for insubordination after an interview in which he objected to potential military censorship.

Slavin said he was fired “for stating in a CBS interview that hypothetical censorship of news for service members would constitute a red line”. He said he stood by the principle “that Stars and Stripes must remain editorially independent”.

Separation notices were delivered to Lederer and Slavin, CBS News reported, and gave them five days to appeal their dismissals. One person familiar with the matter told CBS that the cited cause was insubordination, without detailing the alleged conduct.

Lederer, who had been the publisher of the military daily for 19 years, announced earlier in the week that he would retire effective at the end of September. He told colleagues that his philosophy of leadership and understanding of the outlet’s value and mission differed fundamentally from the direction of Department of Defense leadership.

Slavin said Lederer also received a separation notice, as did Korte. Stars and Stripes is a leading US military news outlet that is partly funded by taxpayers.