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According to AnewZ, the U.S. Department of Defense has taken action against an employee following an investigation into the unauthorized disclosure of classified information and referred the matter to the Justice Department for possible legal action.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the action followed an extensive investigation by the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI). He did not identify the person under investigation or disclose specific details of the allegations, saying that doing so could affect the inquiry.
In a statement on the social media platform X, Parnell said the department had zero tolerance for the deliberate and unauthorized release of classified information. He said people who put sensitive national security information at risk endanger service members’ lives and undermine operations that protect the country.
“Classified information is not personal property. Releasing it for personal, political or professional gain is a betrayal of the trust placed in those responsible for safeguarding it,” Parnell wrote. He said the case, along with other matters involving leaks of classified information, had been referred to the Justice Department for possible legal action. The Pentagon said it would not comment further on the person or the reasons for the action in order to protect the integrity of the investigation.
Media link investigation to Brett Sylvia
Although the Pentagon did not name the officer, a U.S. defense official familiar with the matter told The Washington Post that the announcement concerned the removal of Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia from his post.
Sylvia recently led the Pentagon’s Directorate for Strategy, Plans and Policy (J-5), one of the U.S. military’s most prominent strategic planning positions. In that role, he reported directly to General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Reports earlier this week said U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had removed Sylvia from his position. CBS News and Fox News, citing an unnamed Pentagon official, reported that Sylvia was accused of leaking classified information about the wars involving Iran and Ukraine. The Pentagon has not publicly presented evidence substantiating the allegations.
A colleague of Sylvia’s told The Washington Post that the lieutenant general had repeatedly denied allegations that he disclosed classified information. According to the colleague, Sylvia acknowledged contacting journalists as part of his official duties but said he had not given them classified information.
Office of Joint Chiefs chairman withdraws statement
The Justice Department confirmed that investigations into possible unauthorized disclosures are ongoing and that it is coordinating with federal agencies, including the Pentagon.
Sylvia’s departure also drew attention after the office of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff made an unusual change to a statement. General Caine’s office issued a statement on Wednesday thanking Sylvia for 32 years of military service, but withdrew it the following day.
An updated explanation said the initial statement did not adequately reflect the circumstances surrounding the personnel action. The office said it would make no further comment out of respect for the service member and the ongoing personnel process. The Pentagon has not publicly explained what prompted the change.
Sylvia’s removal came as part of a broader Defense Department investigation to identify the sources of unauthorized disclosures concerning military operations and national security. The Washington Post reported that during the conflict involving Iran, investigators required dozens of service members to take polygraph tests to determine whether classified information had been shared with journalists.
The newspaper described the investigations as among the Pentagon’s most extensive internal security measures in recent years. The case is being examined amid a series of high-profile personnel changes during Hegseth’s tenure as defense secretary. In recent months, several senior officers have been removed from their positions or reassigned, with the reasons for some decisions not made public.
Critics have said some of the moves lacked transparency. Defense Department officials, however, have said personnel decisions are made with national security and institutional accountability in mind.
The Pentagon and the Justice Department have not announced any criminal charges. Officials have declined to disclose further details while the investigations are ongoing.
