Pentagon fires planner after failed polygraph tests
Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia was removed from the J5 role after being accused of leaking classified details regarding the conflict with Iran.
By Kofi Costa ·
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed the Pentagon's top military planner late Wednesday. The action removes Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia from his position as the director of strategy, plans, and policy on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
A Pentagon official told CBS News that Sylvia was accused of misconduct for leaking classified information related to the war with Iran. The official noted that Sylvia failed three polygraph tests concerning the sharing of classified information with the press. The case has been referred to the Department of Justice.
Sylvia is the second general to be ousted from the J5 post under Hegseth. His predecessor, Lt. Gen. Joseph McGee, was forced to retire in October of last year. No replacement for Sylvia has been named as of today.
The Joint Staff issued a statement thanking Sylvia and his family for 32 years of service. The statement also expressed wishes for the family's future. Before joining the Joint Staff, Sylvia served as commander of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, until May 2025. His official biography has been taken offline.
The removal occurs while President Trump weighs renewed strikes on Iran. The president has indicated that new military operations are an option following the midterm elections next week. U.S. officials have informed several Middle East countries and regional allies of the potential for further action after Tuesday's elections. They also warned of possible Iranian retaliation.
A third U.S. aircraft carrier and thousands of additional troops are currently moving to the region. This buildup accompanies the personnel changes at the Pentagon.
Sylvia is one of nearly two dozen military leaders who have departed under Hegseth's tenure. The Pentagon has rarely explained these moves publicly. Hegseth ordered a 20% decrease in the number of top officers by January 1, 2027. He called the reduction a measure of accountability that was long overdue. Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona, criticized the cuts as a purge that will take years to recover from.
