Pete Hegseth fires top Joint Chiefs military planner Brett Sylvia

War Secretary Pete Hegseth has dismissed Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia from his role as the Pentagon top military planner, the Washington Examiner and AP News reported. Lt. Gen. Sylvia served as the director for strategy, plans, and policy, known as J5, on the Joint Staff, according to the Washington Examiner. [1][2]

The dismissal comes as President Donald Trump considers additional military strikes on Iran following next week's midterm elections, the Washington Examiner and AP News both reported. Fox News reported that President Trump stated anything is possible regarding potential post-election strikes, while the Wall Street Journal reported that the United States has warned Gulf nations of a potential short and intense renewal of the war. [1][2][4]

The United States and Israel have been engaged in war with Iran since February 28, 2026, as FTMQ News reported earlier. President Trump previously asked Secretary Hegseth to prepare military options, and CNBC reported that the costs of the conflict have expanded to 47 billion dollars. [4][16]

The Joint Chiefs of Staff is the body of senior military leaders within the United States Department of Defense that advises the president and the secretary of defense on military matters. Separately, CNN and the Washington Post reported that Secretary Hegseth has endorsed President Trump's proposal for a national triumphal arch, calling it a generational national defense opportunity. [3][5][12]