Hegseth Osts Top Military Planner as Trump Weighs Iran Strikes
Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia was removed from his post with no immediate replacement named as a third carrier heads to the region.
By Evelyn Henderson ·
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired the Pentagon's top military planner this week, removing Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia from his role leading strategy, plans and policy on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. A defense official confirmed the removal on Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters. No reason was given for the decision, and no successor has been named.
The move lands as President Donald Trump weighs new military action against Iran. U.S. officials have told Middle East countries and regional allies to prepare for potential renewed strikes following Tuesday's midterm elections and for the possibility that Iran may retaliate against them, according to two diplomats briefed on the matter. Trump has not made a final decision. A third U.S. aircraft carrier and thousands of additional troops are currently en route to the region.
Sylvia's exit follows a pattern of departures under Hegseth. He is the second general removed from the position, known as the J5, during Hegseth's tenure. His predecessor, Lt. Gen. Joseph McGee, was forced to retire last October. Sylvia's official biography has since been taken offline.
The J5 director and staff typically generate and coordinate military plans for both the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the president. A Joint Staff spokesperson said the Chairman and Joint Force "extend our deepest gratitude to Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia and his family for their 32 years of distinguished service to our nation."
Sylvia served as commander of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, until May 2025, according to his official biography. He also previously served as vice director for the J5.
The removal brings the count of generals, admirals, and other military leaders fired or forced out under Hegseth to nearly two dozen. The Pentagon has not publicly explained most of those departures. They include the civilian secretaries of the Army and Navy, along with some top uniformed officers.
Hegseth told junior officers and enlisted leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico on Sept. 30 that he had ordered a 20% cut to the overall number of top officers, to be completed by Jan. 1, 2027. He called it "accountability and long overdue." There are currently roughly 800 flag and general officer positions.
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., a former Navy combat pilot who has been critical of Hegseth, said last month that Hegseth has "some kind of like deep-seated grievance about leadership in the military." Kelly added, "He's purging a generation of great leaders of the military, and it's going to take a generation to recover from it."
Source: The Oakland Press
