US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has removed Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, the Pentagon's top military official responsible for strategy and planning. Sylvia was director of the Strategy, Plans and Policy Unit, known as J5, at the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The news was reported by CNN, citing a US Defense Department official and another source familiar with the matter. The removal was confirmed by a spokesman for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Kaine.
According to the defense department representative, Sylvia is under investigation for possible leaks of classified information. The reason for the dismissal was described as alleged misconduct. The information is an investigation and does not establish guilt.
Corrected Staff Statement
Initially, General Dan Kane's spokesman thanked Sylvia for his 32 years of service and wished him well in his future endeavors. However, the statement was later changed.
“After further review, we determined that the statement did not adequately reflect all of the circumstances“.The correction does not provide public details about the nature of the alleged misconduct or the progress of the investigation. It is also unclear who will take over the vacant post.
The change comes amid tensions with Iran
Sylvia's removal comes at a time when President Donald Trump is considering new strikes against Iran. This places the dismissal of the senior military planner in the context of the preparation and discussion of future American operations.
The case is the latest dismissal of a senior Pentagon officer during the Trump administration and after Hegseth took over the leadership of the Ministry of Defense. Under him, cuts were made among the top military leadership.
Sources: news.bg, apnews.com