Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth fired one of the Pentagon’s senior officials after he was accused of leaking classified information to reporters about the U.S. operation against Iran and the war between Russia and Ukraine, a Defense Department official said Thursday.
The Pentagon official told The Washington Times that Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia failed three polygraph tests when he was questioned during the investigation into the leaks.
“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 in a statement.
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“The extent of his leaking became so critical that Secretary Hegseth took immediate action and fired Sylvia in order to protect national security,” the official said. “Urgent action was needed and could not wait another second.”
Gen. Sylvia’s position at the Pentagon was director of the Directorate for Strategy, Plans, and Policy at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, known inside the military as the J-5.
But Defense Department officials said he was not a central planner for the Iran war. That is the responsibility of U.S. Central Command and its commander, Adm. Brad Cooper.
The investigation is ongoing and the case has been referred to the Justice Department for further action, officials said.
Gen. Sylvia could not be reached immediately for comment.
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the Pentagon has “zero tolerance for the intentional, unauthorized disclosure of classified information.”
“Anyone who compromises sensitive national security information puts the lives of our warriors at risk and undermines every military operation that keeps our country safe,” Mr. Parnell said on social media.
He said there would be no further comment on the case to “protect the integrity of the investigation.”
“Classified information is not personal property. Leaking it for personal, political, or personal gain is a betrayal of the trust placed in those responsible for keeping it,” Mr. Parnell said. “Our commitment was not an empty promise. We vowed to find you, and we meant it.”
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