His predecessor was forced to retire in October last year.Hegseth arrives for a meeting in Cebu in the central Philippines on October 28, 2026 [AFP]“Sylvia failed three polygraphs which questioned him about leaking classified information,” the Pentagon official said while accusing Sylvia of putting national security at risk.“Urgent action was needed and could not wait another second,” he concluded.There is no immediate replacement for Sylvia, according to an official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to The Associated Press news agency.Before arriving at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Sylvia served as commander of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, until May 2025, according to his official biography, which has now been taken offline. He also previously served as the vice director for the office he recently led.His military awards include six Bronze Star Medals, including one for valour, and a Purple Heart, indicating he was wounded in combat.Sean Parnel, assistant to the defense secretary for public affairs, said earlier on Thursday in a post on X that “the Department of War has zero tolerance for the intentional, unauthorized disclosure of classified information.” He did not refer specifically to Sylvia.Sylvia is the latest senior Pentagon official whom Hegseth has accused of leaking to the media.
He fired three aides from his inner circle last year as part of a broader leak investigation that included polygraph tests.President Donald Trump has promised to “finish the job” in Iran after launching the war with Israel eight months ago and said he would do so after the midterm elections on Tuesday.