A fired Pentagon general has admitted leaking classified information about Iran and Ukraine to journalists over about a year, according to an internal investigation report obtained by Axios. Army Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia, the Pentagon’s former top military planner, acknowledged the unauthorised disclosures on video after failing four polygraph tests, a US official told Axios. He was dismissed from his post this week by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and the case has been referred to the Department of Justice.
What happened
Sylvia headed the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s Strategy, Plans and Policy Directorate, known as the J5 — one of the Pentagon’s most senior planning jobs. He was removed on Wednesday over what the Pentagon described as severe misconduct, following an investigation into suspected leaks of classified military information.
The internal investigation report, quoted by Axios on Thursday, October 30, accused Sylvia of making “unauthorised disclosures to the media”. According to the report, he shared classified details relating to the wars in Ukraine and Iran with two journalists from separate media outlets, in a pattern of contact that stretched over roughly a year.
Sylvia cooperated with investigators during the inquiry, the report said, answering questions about his interactions with journalists and handing over his personal mobile phone for forensic examination. A US official told Axios that his admissions were recorded on video.
President Donald Trump, asked about the dismissal on Thursday, said Sylvia had “big problems” and that the administration was “very much looking for leakers”.
How the investigation exposed him
The disclosures allegedly began in June 2025, before the Pentagon barred several mainstream media outlets from its premises, and continued afterwards. According to the report, Sylvia communicated with the journalists through the encrypted messaging app Signal and met at least one of them in person.
The investigation documented his interactions with journalists from two separate outlets and examined how classified information was allegedly shared. “He had trouble passing multiple polygraph interviews,” the report said, adding that Sylvia had acknowledged his interactions with journalists.
There is one discrepancy in the public reporting worth noting honestly. CBS News, citing a Pentagon official, had earlier reported that Sylvia failed three polygraph tests connected to the investigation. The Axios report subsequently put the number at four. The article reports both figures with their sources rather than settling on one, because the full investigation report has not been published.
The diner meeting and the Signal messages
One incident detailed in the report involved a meeting at a Silver Diner restaurant in Arlington, Virginia, roughly a 10-minute drive from the Pentagon. The meeting reportedly took place after the journalist involved had lost access to the Pentagon.
During the encounter, Sylvia allegedly used notes he had made while reviewing a classified report to verbally disclose information concerning US assistance to Ukraine. The journalist was reportedly working on a book and had met the general on two occasions.
Sylvia did not coordinate the meetings with the Pentagon’s public affairs office or seek clearance before sharing the information, the report said.
Separately, Sylvia told investigators he could not recall the precise contents of a Signal message he received in June or July, which he believed concerned Iran. He said he had not responded to it before deleting it, and believed he had accidentally deleted the entire conversation thread, including messages and calls on his personal phone. US officials suspect he deliberately erased the communications, according to Axios.
In connection with another report criticising Pentagon leadership, Sylvia also admitted to being one of the 20 officials cited in the article, the investigation found.
Who is Brett Sylvia
Sylvia is a senior US Army officer who previously commanded the 101st Airborne Division and served in Iraq. Before his removal, he held a key position in the Pentagon as its top military planner, directing strategy, plans and policy for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
One limit on his role is also reported: an official separately told Al Jazeera that Sylvia was not involved in central planning for the Iran war, which was handled by US Central Command and its commander, Admiral Brad Cooper. That detail matters because it bounds what the disclosures could have covered, even though the full contents allegedly shared have not been publicly disclosed.
His departure comes amid a broader reshaping of US military leadership under President Trump and Defence Secretary Hegseth.
The Pentagon’s wider crackdown on leaks
Sylvia’s removal is the latest development in Hegseth’s broader crackdown on leaks and media access at the Pentagon. In July, the Defence Department announced a joint task force with the Justice Department to identify officials leaking information, and directed the Pentagon’s Office of General Counsel to prioritise prosecutions over unauthorised disclosures to the media.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the Defence Department would not tolerate the unauthorised disclosure of sensitive information and had taken steps to safeguard classified material. The department has “zero tolerance for the intentional, unauthorised disclosure of classified information”, Parnell said. Although he did not identify Sylvia by name, Parnell confirmed that the case, along with other matters, had been referred to the Justice Department for possible legal action.
A separate US official told Axios that Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle and his office had lobbied the Joint Staff to issue a statement supporting Sylvia, in an apparent effort to minimise the damage from any future claims that he leaked classified information. The Joint Staff later withdrew the statement after someone in the Defence Department informed it of the reasons behind Sylvia’s dismissal, the official said.
What happens next
The referral leaves open the possibility of further legal proceedings. The Pentagon has not publicly disclosed the full details of the information allegedly shared or specified what charges, if any, could follow. The Justice Department’s review, and any subsequent legal action, will determine the next steps in the case.
No charges against Sylvia have been announced. Until the Justice Department acts, the established facts are the dismissal, the reported admission, and the referral — not a conviction or a charge sheet.
Timeline
- June 2025: Sylvia’s alleged disclosures to journalists begin, according to the investigation report.
- June–July 2025: Sylvia receives a Signal message he believes concerned Iran; he later says he deleted the thread.
- July 2026: The Pentagon announces a joint task force with the Justice Department to identify leakers.
- Wednesday, October 28, 2026: Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth dismisses Sylvia over severe misconduct.
- Thursday, October 29, 2026: President Trump says Sylvia had “big problems” and the administration is “very much looking for leakers”.
- Thursday, October 30, 2026: Axios reports the internal investigation’s findings, including the recorded admission after four failed polygraph tests.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Brett Sylvia?
Army Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia was the Pentagon’s top military planner, heading the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s Strategy, Plans and Policy Directorate (J5). He previously commanded the 101st Airborne Division and served in Iraq.
What did Sylvia admit to?
According to an internal investigation report obtained by Axios, Sylvia admitted making unauthorised disclosures of classified information about Iran and Ukraine to two journalists from separate outlets over about a year.
How was he caught?
The investigation traced his contacts with journalists from June 2025 onwards, through Signal messages and in-person meetings, including a meeting at a Silver Diner in Arlington, Virginia. His admission on video followed four unsuccessful polygraph tests, according to the Axios report; CBS News had earlier reported three, citing a Pentagon official.
Has Sylvia been charged with a crime?
No. The case has been referred to the Department of Justice for possible legal action, but no charges have been announced and the full details of the information allegedly shared have not been publicly disclosed.
Why does this case matter beyond one general?
It is the most senior leak case of Hegseth’s Pentagon crackdown, it involves the military’s top planning post, and it sits alongside a joint Pentagon–Justice Department task force set up in July to identify leakers and prioritise prosecutions.
What happens next?
The Justice Department will review the referred case. Any decision on charges, or any further public disclosure of what was allegedly shared, will come from that review.
Related coverage
The case has been referred to the Department of Justice, which has also been active in election-related disputes this season — including the Justice Department’s California ballot order. For more US politics and defence coverage, see the US News section.