US general fired by Hegseth confesses to leaking classified information about Iran - report

"Classified information is not personal property. Leaking it for personal, political, or professional gain is a betrayal of the trust placed in those responsible for keeping it," Parnell wrote.

The Pentagon's top military planner was fired earlier this week after he admitted to leaking classified information regarding Iran and Ukraine to media outlets, Axios reported on Thursday.

Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia failed four polygraph tests before confessing to misconduct on camera, a US official told Axios. He was fired by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

According to a report from the Pentagon, Sylvia was accused of making "unauthorized disclosures to the media," however, he "was cooperative with answering questions about interactions with the media to resolve this, and provided his personal phone for a forensics examination."

US officials told Axios that Sylvia started leaking information as early as June 2025, months before media outlets were officially removed from the Pentagon. He then continued to leak information via a secure messaging app, Signal, the report explained. Sylvia also held a secretive in-person meeting at a diner in Arlington, Virginia - roughly a 10-minute drive from the Pentagon.

"The meeting at the diner occurred because [redacted's] access to the Pentagon was revoked between meetings," the outlet reported.

"During the meeting at the diner, [Sylvia] relied on notes he took while reviewing a classified secret report to orally give [redacted] information on US assistance to Ukraine, the report says.

It adds that Sylvia did not coordinate the meetings with Pentagon officials or get the information verified before sharing it with the reporter, who was writing a book.

US Officials respond to Sylvia being fired

A reporter asked US President Donald Trump on Thursday about the situation and what proof the Pentagon had that Sylvia had leaked information to the press, the Washington Post reported.

"She's going to have big problems," he responded, apparently unaware that the general was a man. "Long-term problems."

Pentagon Spokesperson Sean Parnell put out a statement on X/Twitter shortly after the news broke, warning that "The Department of War has zero tolerance for the intentional, unauthorized disclosure of classified information."

"Following an extensive Air Force OSI investigation, the Department took necessary personnel action to protect sensitive information. To protect the integrity of the investigation, no further comment will be made regarding the individual or the circumstances of this action."

"Classified information is not personal property. Leaking it for personal, political, or professional gain is a betrayal of the trust placed in those responsible for keeping it," Parnell wrote.

"This matter, along with others, has been referred to the Justice Department for potential further legal action."

Although Parnell did not directly name Sylvia's case, a defense official familiar with the matter told the Washington Post that Parnell’s comments were related to the general’s removal.

Wider crackdown on information leaks

This comes as Hegseth's team takes a harsher approach to information leaks to the media, relying in part on the use and threat of polygraph tests, officials told the Washington Post. 

Dozens of US military officers have been subjected to polygraph tests as concern within the Pentagon mounted over a wave of reports discussing classified information about the depletion of critical air defense munitions and other US weaponry.

The Defense Department announced a joint task force with the Justice Department in July, aiming to identify people within the Pentagon who were responsible for leaking information.

It also asked the Pentagon's Office of General Counsel to prioritize prosecutions against people who had made unauthorized disclosures to the media.