Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia Fired After 3 Failed Polygraphs, Pentagon Says

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, a senior Pentagon strategist, after the general allegedly failed three polygraph exams tied to the leak of classified information about the Iran war and Ukraine, according to Fox News.

Who is Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia?

Sylvia held a senior strategist role inside the Pentagon before his removal, Fox News reported. The outlet's account does not detail his prior assignments or how long he had served in the position, and no additional biographical record was available in the source material reviewed for this report.

What triggered the three failed polygraph exams?

According to Fox News, Sylvia was accused of leaking classified information connected to two of the administration's most sensitive national-security files: the Iran war and the war in Ukraine. Investigators reportedly administered polygraph examinations as part of the leak probe, and Sylvia failed three of them, the outlet reported. Fox News did not publish the specific questions asked during the exams or the dates they were administered.

Why did Hegseth fire him?

Hegseth removed Sylvia over the leak allegations, Fox News reported, citing the polygraph results as part of the basis for the dismissal. The report did not include a direct statement from Hegseth or the Pentagon press office explaining the decision in his own words, and no on-record Pentagon statement was included in the source material.

What classified information was allegedly leaked?

Fox News' reporting ties the leak allegations to classified material concerning the Iran war and Ukraine, two conflicts that have drawn sustained scrutiny from Congress and the press over U.S. military posture and intelligence sharing. The report does not specify which documents, briefings, or communications were allegedly disclosed, nor does it name the reporters or outlets Sylvia is accused of leaking to.

Has Sylvia responded to the allegations?

No on-record comment from Sylvia, an attorney representing him, or a Pentagon spokesperson was included in the Fox News report reviewed for this article. HTT News could not independently verify the polygraph results or the leak allegations beyond what Fox News published.

What to watch

• Whether the Pentagon issues a formal statement or inspector general referral confirming the grounds for Sylvia's dismissal.
• Whether congressional oversight committees request a briefing on the leak investigation, given the Iran and Ukraine subject matter.
• Whether Sylvia or legal counsel issues a public response disputing the polygraph results or the leak allegations.
• Who is named to fill the senior strategist role Sylvia vacated.

HTT News will update this story as the Pentagon, Congress, or Sylvia's representatives provide additional on-record detail.