Hegseth abruptly fires top Pentagon planner amid classified leak allegations; official says
WASHINGTON, DC: Month after announcing a joint task force to pursue and prosecute media leak cases "with the full force of the law,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has abruptly fired a senior Pentagon general amid allegations of leaking classified information.
The firing comes as the possibility of renewed military strikes against Iran by President Donald Trump looms.
Top Pentagon official fired over alleged classified leaks
The Pentagon’s top planning officer, Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, has been fired amid allegations that he leaked classified information to journalists about the Iran war, Russia’s war in Ukraine and other sensitive matters.
Sylvia served as director for strategy, plans and policy (J5) for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
According to the official quoted by CNN, Sylvia was under investigation for allegedly leaking classified information and was fired for “misconduct.”
In a statement to the outlet, a spokesperson for Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine’s confirmed Sylvia’s departure and expressed gratitude for his 32 years of service, wishing him and his family well in their future endeavors.
“Upon further review, we determined that the statement did not appropriately reflect the full circumstances,” Caine’s spokesperson later reiterated his earlier comment.
Sylvia’s case referred to DOJ after he allegedly failed three polygraph tests
According to a Department of War official, quoted by Fox News, Sylvia’s case has been referred to the Department of Justice after he allegedly failed three polygraph examinations related to the suspected disclosure of classified information.
Despite Hegseth’s new rule requiring media personnel to be escorted inside the Pentagon, Sylvia is accused of meeting journalists outside the building to disclose secret and confidential information.
The J5 is a senior role responsible for developing military strategy and advising the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
According to sources who spoke to Fox News, the J5 had been sidelined from that role since the spring.
The official stressed that Sylvia was not a central planner of the Iran war, which falls under US Central Command and its commander, Adm. Brad Cooper.
Sylvia fired as Hegseth reportedly loses confidence in him
The firing was first reported on Oct 28 night, when Atlantic reported that the Pentagon chief had lost confidence in Sylvia amid tensions with Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby.
Sylvia is the second officer leading the J5 to be removed under Hegseth, following Lt. Gen. John McGee. Hegseth also removed Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, then director of the Joint Staff, earlier this year.
Previously, Sylvia served as commander of the Army’s 101st Airborne Division. He was nominated for the J5 position by former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin near the end of the Biden administration.
