WASHINGTON—War Secretary Pete Hegseth recently removed Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, a senior general responsible for military strategy planning, amid claims that he had leaked classified military information.
A Pentagon official, who confirmed Sylvia’s removal to The Epoch Times on Oct. 29, said he is suspected of leaking information about the war with Iran, the Russia–Ukraine war, and other matters to members of the press.
“Due to the Pentagon’s media policy requiring journalists to have escorts in the building, Sylvia began meeting with journalists outside of the Pentagon in order to leak classified information,” the official said.
The Pentagon official said Sylvia failed three polygraphs in which he was questioned about leaking classified information.
“The investigation into him remains ongoing and has been referred to the Department of Justice for further action,” the official said.
According to the Pentagon official, the scope of the alleged leaking was of such critical concern that Hegseth sought more immediate action by removing Sylvia. The official did not identify the news stories and reporters that Sylvia is suspected of having supported through information leaks.
The Epoch Times reached out to Sylvia for comment through a verified LinkedIn account. He did not respond by publication time.
The Atlantic was the first to report Sylvia’s ouster.
At the time of his removal, Sylvia was the director of the Directorate for Strategy, Plans, and Policy at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, known colloquially as the J5.
Sylvia is the second director of the J5 to leave the post in the past year. His predecessor, Lt. Gen. Joseph McGee, vacated the position and retired in October 2025.
According to a biography since removed from the J5’s official website, Sylvia had served as the commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, from July 2023 to May 2025.
Among the military awards and decorations listed on Sylvia’s biography are six Bronze Star Medals, including one with valor. He also received a Purple Heart, which denotes that he has sustained injuries as a result of hostile action in a combat setting.
With Sylvia’s removal, the J5’s website now lists its vice director, Navy Rear Adm. Frederic Goldhammer, as its current leader.
Sylvia’s ouster comes at a moment of heightened anticipation for a potential U.S. escalation in the armed standoff with Iran.
Last month, the U.S. military dispatched the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, its carrier strike group, and the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group from San Diego with orders to head to the Middle East. The flotilla of additional warships could reach the waters of the Middle East by November, bringing the total number of U.S. carrier strike groups in the region up to three.
President Donald Trump recently predicted that the Iran conflict would end soon after the 2026 U.S. midterm elections. At a campaign rally on Oct. 23, the president hinted at intensifying combat operations before the conflict concludes.
“We may do another little Epic Fury, or they’ll agree,” Trump told rallygoers, referring to Operation Epic Fury—the initial multi-week U.S. bombing campaign against Iran that precipitated the current standoff.
“If they’re smart, they’ll just say, ‘Let’s get down to business.’ But I doubt they’ll do that because perhaps they’re not smart.”
While Sylvia’s role at the J5 entailed proposing strategy, planning, and policy recommendations for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Pentagon official who spoke with The Epoch Times said Sylvia was not centrally involved in planning the recent U.S. military operations against Iran.
