Hegseth fires the Pentagon's top war planner, who is accused of failing three polygraphs over Iran war leaks
Pete Hegseth, whose department is pressing Iran to make nuclear concessions before any negotiations can begin.Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, whom the Pentagon has referred to the Justice Department after he allegedly failed three polygraph tests over leaks about the Iran and Russia-Ukraine wars.
Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, the Pentagon's chief strategic planner and director of the Joint Staff's strategy, plans and policy directorate — known as the J5 — was fired by Hegseth on October 28 after allegedly failing three polygraph examinations over suspected leaks of classified Iran war and Russia-Ukraine intelligence to journalists. The case has been referred to the Justice Department, with no replacement yet named for the critical post that coordinates war plans between battlefield commanders, the Joint Chiefs chairman and the president.
Sylvia is the SECOND general ousted from the J5 role under Hegseth; his predecessor, Lt. Gen. Joseph McGee, was pushed into retirement last October.
Trump is weighing renewed Iran strikes after next week's midterms, with US Central Command having drawn up options ranging from hitting nuclear sites to an economic squeeze campaign.
'Now is not the time when you'd want to lose the J5,' a former Joint Chiefs official warned, calling the role a critical link between troops, policy and the White House.
