Hegseth Orders General Sylvia’s Removal
Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered Army Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia fired from his Joint Chiefs of Staff role, according to a Department of War official quoted in the report.The official said Sylvia was removed for severe misconduct, including allegedly leaking classified information about the Iran war, the Russia-Ukraine war, and other matters. The investigation was referred to the Department of Justice for further action. The official also said the leaks had become serious enough that Hegseth acted immediately to protect national security.
That account directly challenges The Atlantic’s report, which said no reason had been given for Sylvia’s departure. The Atlantic described Sylvia as the Pentagon’s chief planner and argued that losing the J5 came at a bad time, particularly if President Trump was considering relaunching war operations against Iran.
A former Joint Chiefs official told the magazine that the J5 serves as a critical link between operational forces, department policy, and the White House. The Department of War official disputed that description.
Although Sylvia held the title director of the Directorate for Strategy, Plans, and Policy, known inside the military as the J5, the official said he was not the central planner for an Iran war. That responsibility, the official said, belongs to CENTCOM and its commander, Admiral Cooper.
Hegseth fires Army General
