Pentagon Fires Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia Over Alleged Leaks of Classified Iran and Ukraine Information

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, the director of the Joint Staff's Directorate for Strategy, Plans and Policy (J5) and one of the Pentagon's top military planners, this week over allegations that he leaked classified information to journalists. A Pentagon official said Sylvia failed three polygraph examinations about the alleged disclosures. An internal investigative report shared with Axios said he admitted leaking classified material about Iran and Ukraine to two reporters from separate outlets over about a year. The official also said he is accused of meeting reporters outside the Pentagon to leak material after Hegseth imposed media restrictions requiring escorts inside the building. The investigation has been referred to the Justice Department. President Donald Trump appeared on Friday to endorse the idea of jailing Sylvia. Fox News said it had asked the Justice Department and Sylvia for comment and had not heard back.

Raw Story, the only left-leaning outlet in this set, leads with Trump and frames the case as an escalation, saying he floated jailing his own general. Its headline centers on the president's remark and describes Sylvia as a fired top military strategist accused of leaking. Fox News and Newsmax, on the right, lead with the Pentagon's case instead. Fox's headline says Hegseth fired a strategist accused of leaking, relying on a Department of War official for the polygraph failures, the Justice Department referral and the meetings outside the building. It also links to Hegseth's task force on prosecuting leaks. Newsmax's headline, "Report: Fired General Admitted Classified Leaks," stresses the admission. Both sides agree on the firing, the Iran and Ukraine subject matter and the leak allegation, but the left excerpt foregrounds the president's remark and the right foregrounds official evidence and the admission. Axios and The Times of Israel broadly match the right in focusing on the report and polygraph claims.