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Thursday, October 29, 2026
Hegseth fires Pentagon’s top military planner as Trump weighs new Iran strikes
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired the Pentagon’s top military planner, a defense official says, the latest in a series of generals to be ousted and one that comes even as US President Donald Trump is weighing renewed strikes on Iran in the eight-month-long war.
Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia has been removed as head of strategy, plans and policy on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is the second general to be ousted from the post, known in military circles as the “J5,” under Hegseth. His predecessor, Lt. Gen. Joseph McGee, was forced to retire last October.
The defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive personnel matters, says there is no immediate replacement for Sylvia and no reason has been given for the firing. The move was reported earlier by The Atlantic.
A spokesperson for the Joint Staff says “the Chairman, the Joint Staff, and the Joint Force extend our deepest gratitude to Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia and his family for their 32 years of distinguished service to our nation” and they “wish him and his family the best.”
The Times of Israel Community.