Hegseth’s latest military shake-up removes a key Pentagon planner: ‘He’s purging a generation of great leaders of the military’

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has removed another senior military leader from his post, firing Army Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia as the Pentagon’s top military planner, according to the Associated Press. The move comes as President Donald Trump considers whether to launch renewed strikes against Iran, adding to a growing list of senior military officials who have departed under Hegseth’s leadership.

Sylvia was serving as director of strategy, plans and policy on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a position commonly known as the “J5.” A defense official confirmed his removal on Wednesday but said no reason had been provided for the decision. There is also no immediate replacement for Sylvia, according to the official.

A spokesperson for the Joint Staff thanked Sylvia and his family for his 32 years of military service and wished them well. Before joining the Joint Staff, Sylvia commanded the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, until May 2025. He had also previously served as the J5’s vice director.

The war with Iran could resume

The J5 director and staff typically help develop and coordinate military plans with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the president. Sylvia’s removal comes as Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of further military action against Iran, where the U.S. and Israel have been at war for eight months.

Trump has vowed to “finish the job” in Iran and has said additional strikes remain an option after next week’s midterm elections. Two diplomats briefed on the matter said U.S. officials had told several Middle Eastern countries and regional allies to prepare for possible renewed military action after the elections, as well as the possibility of Iranian retaliation. A third U.S. aircraft carrier and thousands of additional troops are also heading to the region.

Sylvia is the second general to be removed from the J5 position under Hegseth. His predecessor, Lt. Gen. Joseph McGee, was forced to retire last October. The latest departure is part of a broader shake-up that has seen nearly two dozen generals, admirals, and other military leaders fired, pushed into retirement, or otherwise leave their positions during Hegseth’s tenure.

Hegseth has also ordered a 20% reduction in the number of top military officers, with the cuts expected to be completed by January 1, 2027. “I call it accountability and long overdue,” Hegseth said while speaking to junior officers and enlisted leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico.

Some lawmakers, however, have raised concerns about the consequences of the reductions. Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona and former Navy combat pilot, criticized the departures: “He’s purging a generation of great leaders of the military, and it’s going to take a generation to recover from it.”