Army Secretary Resigns Amid Pentagon Leadership Shake‑Up
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll steps down after policy disagreements, and President Donald Trump appoints Adam Telle as acting secretary, a move that intensifies a rapid turnover of senior Pentagon officials.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, the J5 director of strategy, plans and policy, after three failed polygraph tests linked to alleged leaks of classified information to journalists covering Iran, Ukraine and other sensitive topics, a Department of War official told Fox News.
The investigation, referred to the Justice Department, stems from claims that Sylvia met reporters outside the Pentagon despite new media restrictions that require escorts for journalists, the official added.
Hegseth announced a joint task force with the Department of Justice to prosecute leaks to the press “with the full force of the law,” according to a statement released Tuesday.
Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell said the personnel action followed an extensive Air Force Office of Special Investigations probe, though he did not name Sylvia or detail the findings.
Parnell warned potential leakers, “Our commitment was not an empty promise. We vowed to find you, and we meant it.”
Sylvia, a 1994 West Point graduate with more than three decades of service, previously commanded the 101st Airborne Division and served as J5 deputy before assuming the director role in December, sources said.
The Atlantic reported Sylvia’s ouster Wednesday night, citing sources who said Hegseth lost confidence in the three‑star general amid tensions with policy chief Elbridge Colby.
President Donald Trump told reporters that Sylvia “is going to have big problems, long term problems,” as the Pentagon weighs possible renewed military action against Iran.
Sylvia becomes the second J5 leader removed under Hegseth, following Lt. Gen. Joseph McGee, and the latest in a wave that has seen nearly two dozen senior military officers forced out or depart during Hegseth’s tenure.
U.S. officials have warned Middle Eastern allies to prepare for potential strikes after next week’s midterm elections, while additional troops move into the region amid concerns that Iran may retaliate.
Fox News Digital contacted Sylvia for comment but received no response; the Justice Department declined to comment specifically on the case but confirmed ongoing investigations into possible leaks of classified information.
