General fired by Hegseth referred for criminal prosecution, Pentagon says

General fired by Hegseth referred for criminal prosecution, Pentagon notes.

Key points

• One of the aides, Dan Caldwell, afterwards rejoined the Trump administration in a role at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
• Army Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia has been referred to the Justice Department for potential criminal prosecution.
• Three Pentagon authorities were fired in 2025 as part of an investigation into an unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information.
• Military remarked it has produced a criminal referral to the Justice Department in the case of Army Lt.
• Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell wrote in a post on X that "the Department took necessary personnel action to protect sensitive information."

General fired by Hegseth referred for criminal prosecution, Pentagon notes. Miles J. Herszenhorn USA TODAY. Army general fired by Hegseth accused of leaking classified information.

Army Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia has been referred to the Justice Department for potential criminal prosecution. Pete Hegseth fired Brett Sylvia on October 28 after accusing him of leaking classified information.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Military remarked it has produced a criminal referral to the Justice Department in the case of Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, a top officer who was suddenly ousted after Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth accused him of leaking classified information.

Hegseth fired Sylvia on Oct. 28 in a decision that was initially confirmed without explanation. Sylvia served on the Joint Staff as the director for strategy, intends and policy, a role known as the Pentagon's chief military planner.

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

For context, a spokesperson for the DOJ remarked in an official note that it "has ongoing investigations related to possible leaks of classified information."

"We work closely with our government partners, which includes the Department of War, " the spokesperson continued.

President Donald Trump addressed the general's firing in remarks to reporters on Oct. 29.

Sylvia is "gonna have big problems, " Trump remarked. "We're very much looking for leakers." Sylvia did not respond to a request for comment.

Sylvia is the latest top general to be ousted under Hegseth's tenure. The Pentagon chief has fired or forced into retirement roughly two dozen high-ranking military officers. Hegseth has pledged to significantly reduce the number of positions reserved for generals and admirals.

More: Pete Hegseth to unveil plan cutting top military positions by 20%.

In his role, Sylvia documented to Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Hegseth's decision to fire Sylvia and the circumstances behind his ouster appeared to catch Caine's office off guard.

Caine's staff published an initial statement that thanked Sylvia for his 32 years of "distinguished service to our nation."

"We wish him and his family the best as they graduate to new opportunities and the next chapters of their lives, " the statement continued.

Meanwhile, the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff afterwards moved to retract that statement.

Under Hegseth's leadership, the Pentagon has sought to crack down on media leaks and identify potential sources of leaks within the department. Pentagon leadership has additionally administered polygraph tests to senior military leaders, including members of the Joint Staff.

"The Department of War has zero tolerance for the intentional, unauthorized disclosure of classified information, " Parnell wrote on X. "Anyone who compromises sensitive national security information puts the lives of our Warriors at risk and undermines every military operation that keeps our country safe."

Three Pentagon authorities were fired in 2025 as part of an investigation into an unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information. The three authorities were never referred for criminal prosecution.

One of the aides, Dan Caldwell, afterwards rejoined the Trump administration in a role at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The decision to rehire Caldwell appeared to undercut the classified leak allegations against him. SMS Facebook Twitter Email. Share your feedback to support improve our site! Share your feedback to support improve our site!

Taken together, the developments around general fired by Hegseth referred for criminal prosecution, Pentagon says point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.