Pentagon removes top war planner Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia
Why it matters: Sylvia oversaw strategy and policy on the Joint Staff, a key hub for long-term military planning.
Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia was removed from his post as the Joint Staff’s director for strategy, plans and policy and has since retired, according to ABC News and the Associated Press. The office, known as the J-5, is one of the Pentagon’s central planning directorates and handles long-term military strategy and policy. ABC reported one source said Sylvia was pushed out for a lack of confidence, though it was unclear whether the move came from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth or Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. No replacement was named. Sylvia is the latest senior officer to be fired or sidelined during Hegseth’s tenure.