Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired the Pentagon’s chief military planner on Wednesday, marking the latest dismissal of a top general as President Donald Trump considers new military strikes against Iran in the eight-month-long Iran conflict.
Hegseth removed Army Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia from his post as director for strategy, plans, and policy for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Known within military circles as the “J5,” Sylvia becomes the second general Hegseth has ousted from the position, following his predecessor, Lt. Gen. Joseph McGee, who was forced into retirement last October.
Sylvia’s removal marks the latest high-profile departure from the U.S. military since Trump returned to the White House over a year ago.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced last month that the administration reduced the number of American generals and admirals by 20 percent to enhance military accountability.
Hegseth framed the reduction in flag officers as an achievement, stating the cuts aimed to remove commanders who opposed his strategy to pivot the military away from previous “woke” policies toward combat readiness.
The Atlantic however, reported that the Pentagon offered no formal justification for Sylvia’s dismissal and has yet to name a replacement.
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Meanwhile, Sylvia’s removal coincides with Trump’s repeated signals regarding potential new military strikes against Iran.
Eight months after starting the conflict alongside Israel, Trump pledged to “finish the job” in Iran, indicating that additional strikes could follow next week’s midterm elections.
Two diplomats briefed on the matter stated that U.S. officials urged several Middle Eastern allies to prepare both for potential American military action after Tuesday’s elections and for possible Iranian retaliation.
They noted, however, that Trump has not made a final decision on launching new strikes.
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