Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired the Pentagon’s top military planner, Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, after officials say he leaked classified information about the Iran and Ukraine wars and failed three lie-detector tests.
Story Highlights
- Hegseth removed Sylvia as head of the Joint Staff’s strategy, plans and policy office, known as the J5.
- A Pentagon official says Sylvia is accused of leaking classified Iran-war and Ukraine-war information to reporters.
- The official says Sylvia failed three polygraph tests, and the case has been sent to the Justice Department.
- Sylvia is the second J5 chief removed under Hegseth, and no replacement has been named.
What Happened: Pentagon’s Chief Planner Removed
Hegseth fired Sylvia on Wednesday, October 28, a Pentagon official said late that night. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Sylvia was accused of misconduct for leaking classified information related to the Iran war and the Russia-Ukraine war. According to the official, Sylvia “failed three polygraph examinations related to alleged disclosures of classified information.” A polygraph is a lie-detector test that tracks signs like heart rate and breathing while a person answers questions.
🚨 BREAKING: Pentagon shakeup as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fires top military planner Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia.
According to officials, the abrupt ouster comes amid a DOJ referral after Sylvia allegedly failed three polygraph tests regarding classified leaks to the press about… pic.twitter.com/QSIxw1lltd
— Alistair Brooks | (@AlistairBrooksH) October 29, 2026
The J5 is the Joint Staff office that drafts military strategy and works out plans with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the president. Sylvia had led it since December. Before that, he was the office’s vice director and commanded the Army’s 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, until May 2025. He is a 1994 West Point graduate who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and was wounded in combat.
The Accusations and the Pentagon’s Response
Officials say Sylvia met with reporters outside the Pentagon after Hegseth put in new rules that require reporters to have escorts inside the building. Sylvia has not been charged with a crime. He did not respond to requests for comment, according to reports. A Pentagon official also said Sylvia “was not a central planner” of the Iran war, which is run by U.S. Central Command.
On Thursday, October 29, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said an investigation by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, a military law enforcement agency, led the department to take the personnel action and refer the matter to the Justice Department. He said he could not say more in order to protect the investigation. The Joint Staff first put out a statement thanking Sylvia for his 32 years of service, then withdrew it, saying it did not reflect the full circumstances, according to reports.
Why This Role Matters for National Security and Readiness
The firing comes as President Trump weighs new strikes on Iran in a war that has gone on for eight months. U.S. officials have told some Middle East allies to prepare for possible military action after the Tuesday, November 3 midterm elections, and more U.S. forces are heading to the region, according to reports. Leaks about war plans can put troops and missions at risk, which is why officials treat them so seriously.
The J5 sits close to the most sensitive planning in the building. Another report said Hegseth had also lost confidence in Sylvia amid tension with Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon’s top policy official. No replacement for Sylvia has been named.
The Bigger Picture: Civilian Control and a Culture of Accountability
Sylvia is the second J5 chief removed under Hegseth. His predecessor, Lt. Gen. Joseph McGee, was forced to retire in 2025. Nearly two dozen generals, admirals and other senior leaders have been fired, pushed out or have left during Hegseth’s time in charge. Hegseth has ordered a 20% cut in the roughly 800 top officer posts by January 1, 2027, and told officers at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30 that the cuts are “accountability and long overdue.”
Critics see it differently. Sen. Mark Kelly, an Arizona Democrat and retired Navy captain, said Hegseth is “purging a generation of great leaders of the military.” In Sylvia’s case, the department has pointed to a specific reason: officials say a top planner shared war secrets, and the matter has gone to federal prosecutors.
Sources:
cbsnews.com, record-eagle.com, spectrumlocalnews.com, edition.cnn.com, independent.co.uk
