US military newspaper editor voices censorship fears after being fired

BBC News · 🇬🇧 public United Kingdom · Aug 22, 2026 · 617 words · By Jamie Whitehead; Paulin Kola

Government censorship Military Governance Press Freedom

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US military newspaper editor voices censorship fears after being fired - Published The editor-in-chief of US military newspaper Stars and Stripes has told the BBC of his concern over censorship a day after being dismissed by the US Department of Defense (DoD)…

Claims checked 16

Techniques found 1

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center83%

Right17%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Why it matters

"This is a time when we really need to hear what's happening," Erik Slavin said, adding that Pentagon officials appeared to be "less and less inclined to speak on the record".

Common ground

Slavin says he believes he was fired for having stated in an interview that "in a hypothetical situation, censorship would be a red line".

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Government censorship story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that In April 2025, a US judge ordered the administration to restore the Associated Press's access to presidential events after it was blocked in a dispute over the term "Gulf of America"?
How does this story connect Government censorship with Military Governance over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm2g23ng8p4o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 16 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 10

schedule Pending 6

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Claim 1: “In April 2025, a US judge ordered the administration to restore the Associated Press's access to presidential events after it was blocked in a dispute over the term "Gulf of America".”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 2: “the Pentagon had not had a press conference since May”

CORROBORATED

Two independent sources (one reporting on Pete Hegseth and another on Pentagon turmoil) explicitly state that the Pentagon has not held a formal press briefing since May 5.

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web search NEUTRAL — The Pentagon has since extended the deployments of nearly half of those ships, further taxing an already-strapped force.Two people close to the president told us that Trump may at some point consider …
https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/2026/07/iran-w…

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web search NEUTRAL — The Pentagon has not held a formal press briefing since May 5, despite earlier promises that regular briefings would make the department more open to the public. Turmoil has strengthened Hegseth's pos…
https://www.firstpost.com/world/pentagon-turmoil-deepens-as-…

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web search NEUTRAL — Yet, the Pentagon’s increasing opacity has not gone unnoticed. It has not held a formal press briefing since May 5, nearly four months ago, despite being engaged in an active war.
https://evrimagaci.org/gpt/turmoil-erupts-at-pentagon-as-heg…

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Claim 3: “The editor-in-chief of US military newspaper Stars and Stripes has told the BBC of his concern over censorship a day after being dismissed by the US Department of Defense (DoD) for "insubordination".”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources (BBC, Yahoo News, and other web search results) confirm that Erik Slavin, editor-in-chief of Stars and Stripes, was fired by the DoD for 'insubordination' and expressed concerns about censorship to the BBC.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The national flag of the United States of America, often referred to as the American flag or the U.S. flag, consists of thirteen horizontal stripes, alternating red and white starting with red, with a…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_United_States

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Max D. Lederer Jr. is an American lawyer who was publisher of Stars and Stripes, a military newspaper, until 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Lederer

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Stars and Stripes (stylized in all caps) is a daily American military newspaper reporting on matters concerning the members of the United States Armed Forces and their communities, with an emphasis on…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stars_and_Stripes_(newspaper)

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 4: “Both Slavin and Korte say their dismissals - both for insubordination - relate to an interview they gave to CBS's Sunday Morning programme last month”

CORROBORATED

Fox News Digital and other web search results confirm that Slavin and Korte were dismissed for alleged insubordination, with reports linking the events to their public statements/interviews.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Erik Slavin (born ~1970s) is an American journalist. He served as editor in chief of the daily American military newspaper Stars and Stripes until August 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_Slavin

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Max D. Lederer Jr. is an American lawyer who was publisher of Stars and Stripes, a military newspaper, until 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Lederer

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 5: “A few months prior, the White House broke with tradition and took control of the press pool which covers the US presidency.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 6: “A reporter and the paper's publisher were also sacked.”

CORROBORATED

The dismissal of a reporter (Lara Korte) and the publisher (Max Lederer) alongside the editor-in-chief is confirmed by Nypost, Flipboard, and CNN Business.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Stars & Stripes or Stars and Stripes may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stars_&_Stripes

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — "The Stars and Stripes Forever" is an American patriotic march written and composed by John Philip Sousa in 1896. Since 1987, by an act of the U.S. Congress, it is the official National March of the U…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stars_and_Stripes_Forever

+ 4 more evidence sources

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Claim 7: “Slavin, who has worked for the paper for 21 years”

CORROBORATED

Two independent web sources confirm Slavin's tenure: one explicitly stating he spent 21 years at the publication and another stating he worked there for 'just over two decades'.

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web search NEUTRAL — Erik Slavin, a longtime Stars and Stripes bureau chief in Europe, has been named the media organization’s new top editor. Slavin succeeds former Editor-in-Chief Robert H. Reid, who retired earlier thi…
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2025-09-05/stars-and-str…

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web search NEUTRAL — Slavin had worked at the Stars and Stripes for just over two decades, serving as a reporter and bureau chief before being promoted to editor-in-chief last fall.Former Stars and Stripes editor-in-chief…
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/former-stars-and-stripes-editor…

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web search NEUTRAL — Erik Slavin was the editor-in-chief of Stars and Stripes, a position he held for nearly a year. He has spent 21 years working as a journalist at the publication, which serves US service members and th…
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/etimes/trending/who-are-…

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Claim 8: “At the time, the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN and the BBC were among the major outlets which said they would not agree to the new rules.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 9: “An average of 1.4 million people consume Stars and Stripes's content daily, mostly online, according to CBS.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 10: “In October, leading US news outlets rejected a new policy which barred journalists from entering the building unless they only reported information officially authorised by the DoD.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 11: “The vessel has spent a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of more than 240 days”

CORROBORATED

Three independent cross-references (NBC Washington and BBC News) confirm the record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of more than 240 days.

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cross reference SUPPORTS — the Lincoln has spent a record uninterrupted time at sea of more than 240 days.
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/us…

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cross reference SUPPORTS — the deployment — which includes a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of more than 240 days
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/tr…

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cross reference SUPPORTS — It has spent a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of more than 240 days.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ceqeeendz42o?at_medium=R…

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Claim 12: “The newspaper's Middle East reporter Lara Korte said she had also been told she was fired.”

CORROBORATED

CNBC and Flipboard independently report that Middle East reporter Lara Korte was fired.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — William Urban is an American military officer serving as military deputy to the publisher of American military newspaper Stars and Stripes since 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Urban_(military_office…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Max D. Lederer Jr. is an American lawyer who was publisher of Stars and Stripes, a military newspaper, until 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Lederer

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+ 2 more evidence sources

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Claim 13: “The paper is still printed outside the US for members of the military in places with unreliable internet access.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 14: “Even though partially funded by the Pentagon, Stars and Stripes has been editorially independent - through a congressional mandate and DoD rules.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources, including a Stars and Stripes ombudsman column and Dictionary.com (citing the paper's status), confirm the funding structure and the congressional mandate for editorial independence.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Project Maven (officially Algorithmic Warfare Cross Functional Team) is a United States Department of Defense initiative launched in 2017 to accelerate the adoption of machine learning and data integr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Maven

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 15: “Stars and Stripes reported that publisher Max Lederer was also fired.”

CORROBORATED

Flipboard, Fox News, and Stars and Stripes' own reporting confirm that publisher Max Lederer was fired.

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web search NEUTRAL — Former Stars and Stripes publisher Max Lederer on Saturday said he and two other journalists will keep fighting the Pentagon after a judge refused to stop their terminations, which followed the milita…
https://www.aol.com/articles/fired-stars-stripes-publisher-s…

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web search NEUTRAL — From left: Stars and Stripes Publisher Max D. Lederer Jr., Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin and reporter Lara Korte.According to reporting by Stars and Stripes, Lederer was also fired Friday, though he had…
https://www.commondreams.org/news/stars-and-stripes-journali…

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web search NEUTRAL — Stars and Stripes publisher Max Lederer was fired just days after he announced he was stepping down in September due to "fundamental" differences he had with Pentagon leadership. (ullstein bild via Ge…
https://www.foxnews.com/media/pentagon-fires-longtime-publis…

+ 1 more evidence source

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Claim 16: “the warship [USS Abraham Lincoln] which has been deployed in the Gulf for months as the US-Israeli war with Iran continues.”

CORROBORATED

News18 and other search results explicitly mention the USS Abraham Lincoln operating in the Persian Gulf amid an ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran.

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web search NEUTRAL — Iran US aircraft carrier strike, USS Abraham Lincoln attack news, Gulf of Oman tensions, Iranian drone missile threats, Middle East conflict update.
https://www.tiktok.com/discover/usa-lincoln-ship

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web search NEUTRAL — US Iran War News.The USS Abraham Lincoln has been operating in the Persian Gulf region amid the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran, which began on February 28, that also killed the supreme leader, Ay…
https://www.news18.com/world/iran-fires-missile-at-us-navy-w…

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web search NEUTRAL — CENTCOM chief praises USS Abraham Lincoln crew after visit.The number of US military personnel killed since the start of the war stands at 17, with the most recent deaths in July. They have all been k…
https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/uae-accuses-ira…

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.