Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia reportedly acknowledged unauthorized disclosures involving U.S. military operations after multiple polygraph examinations, prompting his dismissal and a referral to the Justice Department for possible prosecution.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, the Pentagon’s former senior military planner, admitted to sharing classified information about the wars in Iran and Ukraine with journalists over approximately one year, according to an internal Defense Department investigation obtained by Axios. His dismissal this week followed an inquiry into unauthorized disclosures involving sensitive military information.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth removed Sylvia from his position as director of strategy, plans and policy on the Joint Staff, known as the J5, after investigators examined his communications with at least two reporters from separate news organizations. The alleged disclosures began as early as June 2025 and continued through private communications and meetings outside the Pentagon.
According to an Oct. 29 investigative report published by Axios, Sylvia acknowledged the disclosures in a videotaped interview after experiencing difficulties with multiple polygraph examinations. A U.S. official told the outlet that Sylvia had failed four tests, although earlier accounts from Pentagon officials cited three.
The investigation found that Sylvia provided information about American military assistance to Ukraine during a meeting with a journalist at a Silver Diner restaurant in Arlington, Virginia. The reporter had previously lost access to the Pentagon under the Defense Department’s revised media credential policies.
Investigators determined that Sylvia used handwritten notes prepared while reviewing a classified document marked secret to convey details about U.S. assistance to Ukraine. The report indicated that the officer disclosed the information orally rather than providing the journalist with the classified document itself.
Sylvia had reportedly met with the journalist twice, including the diner meeting, while the reporter was working on a book. Neither meeting had been approved through the Pentagon’s established procedures for communicating with members of the press.
The investigation stated that Sylvia “did not coordinate these meetings with [the Pentagon’s Public Affairs Office], or seek to have the information reviewed before providing it to the reporter.”
Investigators also examined communications between Sylvia and another journalist involving information connected to Iran. The general acknowledged receiving a message through the encrypted communications application Signal in June or July 2025 that he believed concerned Iran.
Sylvia told investigators that he deleted the message without responding and inadvertently erased the entire conversation. The deletion also eliminated a record of previous Signal messages and calls associated with the journalist.
According to Axios, officials familiar with the investigation suspected that the deletion was deliberate, although Sylvia maintained that he had accidentally removed the conversation.
The internal report described Sylvia as cooperative during questioning despite investigators’ concerns about the disclosures and missing communications.
Sylvia “was cooperative with answering questions about interactions with the media to resolve this, and provided his personal phone for a forensics examination,” the report stated.
Investigators also examined Sylvia’s involvement in a published report criticizing senior Pentagon leadership. The general reportedly acknowledged being among approximately 20 officials who contributed information to a news account questioning decisions made by Defense Department officials.
The findings emerged after Sylvia’s abrupt removal Wednesday, Oct. 28, from one of the military’s most influential planning assignments. The J5 directorate traditionally helps develop and coordinate military strategy and operational planning for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other senior defense leaders.
Sylvia reported to Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and had previously commanded the 101st Airborne Division. His military career spanned approximately 32 years.
Following his dismissal, Pentagon officials confirmed that an investigation by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations had resulted in personnel action and a referral to the Justice Department.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the department had taken action to protect sensitive information following the investigation, according to an Oct. 29 report by Reuters published in Defense News.
“To protect the integrity of the investigation, no further comment will be made regarding the individual or the circumstances of this action,” Parnell said.
“This matter, along with others, have been referred to the Justice Department for potential further legal action. Classified information is not personal property. Leaking it for personal, political or professional gain is a betrayal of the trust placed in those responsible for keeping it. Our commitment was not an empty promise. We vowed to find you, and we meant it.”
The referral does not establish that criminal charges have been filed. Federal prosecutors must determine whether the available evidence supports prosecution under applicable laws governing classified information and unauthorized disclosures.
The investigation also produced disagreement over the Joint Staff’s public response to Sylvia’s departure. Shortly after the general was removed, the Joint Staff issued a statement thanking him for his military service and extending its best wishes to his family.
The statement was subsequently withdrawn, with officials indicating that it did not adequately reflect the circumstances surrounding his dismissal.
According to Axios, a U.S. official alleged that Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle’s office had encouraged the Joint Staff to release a supportive statement that could reduce the impact of potential allegations against Sylvia.
An Army official disputed that account, denying that Telle or his staff had pressured the Joint Staff to issue a statement supporting the dismissed general.
“This is the latest in a coordinated campaign of lies designed to sow chaos,” the official said, rejecting the allegations involving Telle’s office.
The case comes amid Hegseth’s broader campaign to identify and discipline Defense Department personnel suspected of sharing classified or sensitive information with reporters.
The Pentagon has subjected senior military personnel to polygraph examinations and intensified investigations into unauthorized disclosures, including information concerning U.S. military capabilities and operations during the conflict with Iran.
In July, the Defense Department announced a joint initiative with the Justice Department intended to identify individuals responsible for unauthorized disclosures and pursue prosecution when supported by the evidence.
The administration has also imposed stricter conditions on journalists seeking access to Pentagon facilities. Several major news organizations surrendered their press credentials after refusing to accept revised media access rules, which they argued restricted routine defense reporting.
Hegseth’s removal of Sylvia also follows a series of senior military leadership changes during his tenure, including the departure of Sylvia’s predecessor in the J5 position, Lt. Gen. Joseph McGee, in October 2025.
The latest dismissal occurs as the United States continues military operations involving Iran and considers further strikes. Senior officials have emphasized the importance of safeguarding operational information during ongoing conflicts, particularly material concerning military capabilities, deployments and assistance to foreign partners.
Sylvia’s reported admissions and the findings of the internal investigation represent a significant development in the Pentagon’s campaign against unauthorized disclosures. However, the evidence has not been publicly released in full, and accounts from officials familiar with the investigation have differed on some details, including the number of polygraph examinations he failed.
The Justice Department’s review will determine whether Sylvia faces potential criminal charges arising from his communications with journalists.
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