Hegseth fires Pentagon's top war planner Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia over alleged leaks
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has removed Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia as head of strategy, plans and policy on the Joint Staff, accusing him of leaking classified information on the Iran and Ukraine wars, as Washington weighs new strikes on Iran.
At a glance
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, director of strategy, plans and policy (J5) on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, late on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
- A Pentagon official said Sylvia was accused of leaking classified information about the Iran war and the Russia-Ukraine war to the press, failed three polygraph tests, and that the case has been referred to the Justice Department.
- The Joint Staff thanked Sylvia for 32 years of service but did not mention the accusation; Sylvia has not commented publicly and no replacement has been named.
- Sylvia is the second J5 removed under Hegseth and one of nearly two dozen senior officers fired or pushed out, as Hegseth orders a 20% cut in top officer posts by January 1, 2027.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired Army Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia, the Pentagon's top military planner, over accusations that he leaked classified information about the Iran war and the war in Ukraine, a Pentagon official said late on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. Sylvia was removed as head of strategy, plans and policy on the Joint Chiefs of Staff just days before next week's US midterm elections, after which President Donald Trump has said new strikes on Iran are an option.
What happened
Sylvia led the Joint Staff directorate known as the J5, which draws up and coordinates military plans with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the president. A Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the matter involves personnel, said the general was accused of misconduct for sharing classified information with the press, had failed three polygraph tests on the question, and that his case had been referred to the Department of Justice.
The official Joint Staff statement was much shorter. A spokesperson thanked Sylvia and his family for 32 years of service and wished them well, without mentioning any accusation. Sylvia has not commented publicly, his official biography has been taken offline, and no replacement has been named.
| Key facts | Detail |
|---|---|
| Officer | Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia |
| Post | Director for strategy, plans and policy (J5), Joint Staff |
| Fired | Late Wednesday, October 28, 2026 |
| Allegation | Leaking classified information on the Iran and Russia-Ukraine wars (per a Pentagon official) |
| Polygraph | Failed three tests, the official said |
| Next step | Case referred to the Justice Department |
| Service | 32 years |
Background
Sylvia is the second J5 director removed under Hegseth. His predecessor, Lt. Gen. Joseph McGee, was forced to retire in October 2025. Before joining the Joint Staff, Sylvia had served as the J5's vice director and commanded the Army's 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, until May 2025.
He is the latest of nearly two dozen generals, admirals and other senior leaders who have been fired, forced to retire or otherwise left since Hegseth took over the Pentagon, including the civilian secretaries of the Army and Navy and several top uniformed officers. The Pentagon has publicly explained almost none of these moves.
Last month Hegseth said he had ordered the military to double planned cuts in its senior ranks, to a 20% reduction in the roughly 800 general and flag officer posts by January 1, 2027. Speaking to commanders at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30, he called the cuts "accountability" that was long overdue.
Reactions
Critics in Congress have described the wave of removals as a purge. Senator Mark Kelly, an Arizona Democrat and former Navy combat pilot who has repeatedly criticised Hegseth, said last month that the defence secretary was removing a generation of strong military leaders and that it would take a generation to recover. Supporters of the administration say the changes are needed to hold senior officers accountable and make the Pentagon leaner.
Why it matters
The firing comes at a sensitive moment. The US-Iran war is in its eighth month, a ceasefire agreed in April is fragile, and US officials have told allies in the Middle East to prepare for possible renewed military action — and Iranian retaliation — after the November 3 midterms. A third US aircraft carrier and thousands of extra troops are heading to the region.
Removing the officer at the heart of war planning at such a time raises questions about continuity inside the Pentagon. For the Gulf, Pakistan and the wider region, any shift towards renewed strikes on Iran matters directly: it affects shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices and the mediation efforts in which Pakistan and Qatar have been involved.
What happens next
The Justice Department will decide whether to open a criminal case over the alleged leaks. The Pentagon is expected to name a new J5 director, while Congress — where Democrats have pressed for explanations of earlier firings — may seek briefings. The midterm elections are on Tuesday, November 3.
Questions people are asking
Why was Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia fired?
A Pentagon official said Sylvia was accused of leaking classified information about the Iran war and the Russia-Ukraine war to reporters and failed three polygraph tests. The case has been referred to the Justice Department; the official Joint Staff statement did not give a reason.
What is the J5 at the Pentagon?
The J5 is the Joint Staff's directorate for strategy, plans and policy. Its director draws up and coordinates military plans with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the president.
How many generals has Pete Hegseth fired?
Nearly two dozen generals, admirals and other senior military leaders have been fired, forced to retire or otherwise left under Hegseth, and the Pentagon has publicly explained almost none of those moves.
