Pentagon Fires Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia Over Iran and Ukraine Leaks

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia this week after the general admitted to leaking classified information about Iran and Ukraine to media outlets. Sylvia served as the Pentagon's top military planner before his removal.

A US official told Axios that Sylvia failed four polygraph tests prior to confessing to the misconduct on camera. The Department of Defense accused him of making unauthorized disclosures to the press. According to the Pentagon, Sylvia cooperated by answering questions about his interactions with journalists and handed over his personal phone for a forensics examination.

The leaks began as early as June 2025, months before the Pentagon formally removed media access. Sylvia continued sharing information through the secure messaging app Signal. He also arranged a secretive in-person meeting at a diner in Arlington, Virginia. The location was roughly a 10-minute drive from the Pentagon.

The Pentagon report stated that the diner meeting occurred because the reporter's access to the Pentagon had been revoked between interviews. During that meeting, Sylvia used notes he had taken while reviewing a classified secret report. He orally shared information on US assistance to Ukraine with the reporter, who was working on a book. Sylvia did not coordinate these meetings with Pentagon officials, nor did he verify the information before sharing it.

Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell issued a statement on X shortly after the news broke. He declared that the Department of War has zero tolerance for the intentional, unauthorized disclosure of classified information. Parnell noted that the department took necessary personnel action to protect sensitive information following an extensive Air Force OSI investigation. He added that classified information is not personal property and that leaking it for personal, political, or professional gain is a betrayal of trust.

Parnell wrote that the matter, along with others, has been referred to the Justice Department for potential further legal action. A defense official familiar with the matter told the Washington Post that Parnell's comments were directly related to Sylvia's removal, even though the spokesperson did not name the general in the statement.

President Donald Trump addressed the situation on Thursday. When a reporter asked about the proof that Sylvia had leaked information to the press, Trump said, "She's going to have big problems." He added, "Long-term problems," appearing unaware that the general was a man.

This dismissal is part of a harsher approach to information leaks under Hegseth's team. Officials told the Washington Post that the department is relying in part on the use and threat of polygraph tests. Dozens of US military officers have been subjected to these tests as concern mounted over reports discussing the depletion of critical air defense munitions and other US weaponry. In July, the Defense Department announced a joint task force with the Justice Department to identify those responsible for leaking information. The Pentagon's Office of General Counsel was also asked to prioritize prosecutions against those who made unauthorized disclosures to the media.