U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young has accused the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of censorship, alleging the agency is attempting to prevent him from publishing a memoir about his espionage work. Young, who is CIA-trained, claims the agency has ordered him to delete his manuscript and destroy any hard copies.

This development follows Young's successful defamation lawsuit against CNN, where he argued the network falsely implied he profited from illicit activities while aiding individuals attempting to leave Afghanistan during the 2021 U.S. military withdrawal. During the trial, Young reportedly detailed his extensive training in clandestine operations.

Young collaborated with "American Sniper" co-author Scott McEwen on a memoir titled "American Spy." He submitted the manuscript for prepublication review by the CIA, asserting it would not contain classified information and that his past association with the agency was already public record, having been confirmed to CNN reporters.

However, the CIA's Author Review Office (ARO) denied permission for the book's publication. According to a letter Young claims to have received, the agency cited his nondisclosure agreement and stated the manuscript was predicated on sensitive information. The ARO instructed Young to delete all electronic and physical copies of the manuscript.

Young, who has since moved to Austria, criticized the CIA's actions as censorship rather than a national security measure. He stated that the agency's public affairs director had previously confirmed his employment to a journalist writing about him. "Now that same Agency wants me to burn my own life story to cover its embarrassment. That's not national security. That's censorship," Young told Fox News Digital.

The book's press release describes "American Spy" as an account of "an American who spent years working undercover in hostile environments and denied areas, operating in the hidden world of international espionage." It was expected to be released by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins.

Previously, a jury awarded Young $4 million in lost earnings and $1 million in personal damages in his defamation case against CNN. A settlement was reached before punitive damages were determined. CNN stated it would take "useful lessons" from the verdict.