Overview
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth removed Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia from his role as director of strategy, plans and policy on the Joint Staff on Thursday after an internal probe.
- Pentagon officials say Sylvia failed three polygraph exams about sharing classified information, the Air Force OSI led the investigation, and the case has been referred to the Department of Justice for possible further action.
- The J5 office Sylvia led advises the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and helps coordinate military planning for the president, and no immediate replacement has been named which leaves a planning gap at a sensitive moment.
- The firing is the latest in a broad reshaping of senior military leadership under Hegseth, who is pursuing a roughly 20% cut in flag and general officer billets and has removed nearly two dozen senior officers.
- The episode has raised concerns among lawmakers and press groups about transparency and institutional trust after the Joint Staff withdrew an initial gratitude statement and Sylvia’s official bio was taken offline.