Pete Hegseth removes top Joint Chiefs planner Brett Sylvia from Pentagon role

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has dismissed the Pentagon's primary military planner, marking another high-level departure among senior military leadership.

Army Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia was relieved of his duties as director of strategy, plans, and policy for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, an assignment commonly referred to inside defence channels as the J5. The dismissal was confirmed by a defence official speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential personnel decisions.

No official justification was provided for Sylvia's removal, and the Pentagon has not yet designated a successor to fill the vacant strategy post. The development was first reported by The Atlantic.

The leadership change comes at a precarious moment for American foreign policy, as President Donald Trump considers whether to launch fresh strikes against Iran amid an ongoing conflict that has lasted eight months. Concurrently, US officials have been working with international allies in preparation for potential actions following the upcoming election.

Sylvia represents the second senior officer to be removed from the J5 position during Hegseth's leadership at the Department of Defence. His predecessor, Lieutenant General Joseph McGee, was pressured into retirement in October of last year.

The abrupt ouster of another top-ranking officer responsible for military strategy underscores continuing friction and rapid personnel turnover within the Pentagon's upper echelons during a critical period of regional confrontation.