Exclusive: Fired general admitted to leaking classified Iran and Ukraine info, report says

Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, the Pentagon's top military planner, has admitted to leaking classified information about Ukraine and Iran to two reporters over a one-year period, according to an internal report. He was fired by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for this alleged misconduct. Sylvia acknowledged the leaks on video after failing four polygraph tests.

He claimed he did not coordinate the meetings with the reporters and did not seek to have the information reviewed before sharing it. The report alleges that Sylvia was involved in unauthorized disclosures to the media, and he cooperated with investigators by providing his personal phone for a forensics examination. The leaking reportedly began in June 2025 and continued via secure Signal app and at a Silver Diner in Arlington, Va.

Sylvia allegedly deleted any trace of contact on Signal between himself and one reporter, including the message thread, erasing evidence that could have been used against him. He also admitted to being one of 20 officials cited in a story criticizing Pentagon leadership. The Pentagon has been taking steps to crack down on leakers and the press, including the creation of a joint task force with the Justice Department.