Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia. (Creative Commons)
A U.S. official also confirmed that Sylvia confessed to the misconduct after failing four separate polygraph tests during the investigation.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia admitted to leaking classified information concerning Iran and Ukraine to two journalists over a one-year period beginning in June 2025, according to an internal investigation that led to his removal as the Pentagon’s top military planner.
Sylvia, who served as director of Strategy, Plans, and Policy on the Joint Staff, known as the J5, acknowledged the disclosures on video, Axios reported.
A U.S. official also confirmed that Sylvia confessed to the misconduct after failing four separate polygraph tests during the investigation.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Sylvia from the J5 position, which helps advise Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine.
The Atlantic and The Hill reported his removal Wednesday, but the reason was not disclosed at the time.
According to Axios, Sylvia communicated with journalists through Signal and met one reporter in person at a Silver Diner in Arlington, Virginia.
During that meeting, Sylvia relied on notes he had taken while reviewing a classified document to provide information about U.S. assistance to Ukraine, the investigation found.
Investigators also examined his communications with a second journalist.
Sylvia said he received a Signal message that he believed “had something to do with Iran” and subsequently deleted both the message and the entire thread.
U.S. officials suspect the deletion was intentional, Axios reported.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said Sylvia’s dismissal followed an extensive investigation by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Reuters reported Thursday.
The case has now been referred to the Justice Department for potential criminal prosecution.
The Pentagon initially released a statement thanking Sylvia for his 32-year military career but rescinded it a day later.
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