According to a report by Reuters on August 21, Eric Slaven, editor-in-chief of the American newspaper Star Tribune, was dismissed from his position by the U.S. Department of Defense due to 'disobedience'. The newspaper primarily provides news services for U.S. military personnel worldwide and receives funding from the U.S. Department of Defense. Recently, it has continuously exposed the poor conditions on board the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln.
A letter sent by the U.S. Department of Defense to the management of The Star Tribune indicates that the newspaper’s editor-in-chief, Slaven, longtime publisher Max Ledderle, and a journalist have received termination notices.
Slavin later confirmed in a statement that he had been fired. He wrote: 'According to the notice, I was fired because I stated in an interview with CBS that censorship of military information would cross my personal red line.'
Lederle originally planned to retire in September this year. In an email announcing his retirement earlier this week, he stated that it was obvious that the Pentagon had a “new vision” for the newspaper, which was completely different from his own.
The journalist for The Star and Stripes who covers Middle East affairs, Lala Kotte, also said on social media that she has been fired because she emphasized in an interview with CBS that she worked for The Star and Stripes, not the Pentagon.
The United States Department of Defense has not responded to this information yet.
Public information shows that the Star and Stripes primarily provides news services for military personnel around the world. It receives funding from the U.S. Department of Defense, but its editorial work is independent of the Department of Defense. Since President Trump began his second term in office, the Pentagon has tried to increase its control over this newspaper. Earlier this year, U.S. Department of Defense spokesperson Sean Pennell stated that the newspaper would be “modernized.”
Recently, media outlets such as The Star and Army Times have continuously reported on the poor conditions aboard the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, as well as concerns among some American military family members regarding the mental health of crew members and the risk of self-harm.
The USS Lincoln began its deployment in November last year and arrived in the Middle East in January this year, providing support for the United States' "Epic Rage" operation against Iran and the US naval blockade of Iran. American media reported that due to the USS Lincoln having been deployed in the Middle Eastern waters for over 8 months, there have been problems such as a shortage of basic supplies, contaminated drinking water, and deteriorating mental health conditions on board the ship.
The Trump administration refused to acknowledge the reports, but still sent three supply ships to provide support for the USS Lincoln last week. On August 20, the U.S. Central Command stated that the U.S. Navy’s USS George Washington aircraft carrier strike group had arrived at the Central Command’s area on the 19th and was being deployed in the Middle East according to plan. It is expected that the USS Washington will replace the USS Lincoln.
