Transcript of Hegseth Fires Top General as Pentagon Faces Scrutiny Over Wartime Leadership

There is complete chaos in the United States military right now as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has just fired the top military planner within the Pentagon. The Joint Staff that serves the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Dan Cain, is now without its chief planner after Hegseth just fired Army Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia. And then Hegseth defamed Army Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia, who had a distinguished career in the United States Army. He was the commander of the 101st Airborne Division. I'll talk more about his background in a moment. This is the 2nd general serving in the Pentagon's top planning role that has been fired or forced out by Hegseth during this Trump regime. Now, The Atlantic was the first to break the story. Nancy Youssef reported breaking news. Hegseth pushes out another top general on the Joint Staff. this time the J5. Now, the J5 is the Joint Staff Directorate for Strategy, Planning, and Policy. In short, this is the top military planner who provides advice to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who then provides the advice to Donald Trump. And so this top planner works across all of the branches of the United States military to put forward a strategy.

So if you were going to escalate the catastrophic war in Iran, or you are going to take action anywhere, this is like the key position who would brief the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Dan Cain, about what to do. And then Dan Cain would then brief Donald Trump. Now, this had Dan Cain obviously caught completely off guard that Hegseth just fired, uh, this top planning role because this was the, uh, spokesperson for the Joint Staff told CNN the following, a very, um, nice, favorable, sympathetic statement. Quote, the Chairman, the Joint Staff, and the Joint Force extend our deepest gratitude to Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia and his family for their 32nd years— for their 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 chapter of their lives. So that statement indicates that Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia still had the support of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Dan Cain, and all of the kind of active military branch leaders. So then after that statement came out though, that's when the Trump regime then started to defame Army Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia.

And then Hegseth leaked to this OAN reporter, Alexandra Ingersoll. You know how Hegseth has gotten rid of all of the like top reporters who actually, you know, were in the Pentagon for all of these years who reported on defense matters. And he brought in all these Trump propagandists. So then Hegseth leaks to Alexandra Ingersoll late last night, like at like 1 AM. She puts out the following statement. On background from a War Department official, Army Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia, who was part of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was fired by Secretary Hegseth for severe misconduct. Although Sylvia's title was Director of the Directorate for Strategy, Plans, and Policy at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, known inside the military as the J5, he was not a central planner for the Iran War. He was, by the way. And then they use like they have NOT in all caps, which just shows you that it was probably Trump and Hegseth who gave this statement to this OAN reporter. This is the responsibility of CENTCOM and its commander, Admiral Cooper. Sylvia is the subject of an investigation for leaking classified information about the Iran War, the war between Russia and Ukraine, and more.

Due to the Pentagon's media policy requiring journalists to have escorts in the building, Sylvia began meeting with journalists outside of the Pentagon in order to leak classified information. So just pause there for a second. Do you see how fascist this regime is? We require escorts, that if you are a journalist, you need to have an escort, or if you are a— like, they will chaperone you and they will look at you. Journalists have to have escorts in the building. Sylvia failed 3 polygraphs, which questioned him about leaking classified information. They strapped him up to a polygraph machine. The investigation into him remains ongoing. And has been referred to the Department of Justice for further action. They're saying they're going to throw this guy in prison. The extent of his leaking became so critical that Secretary Hegseth took immediate action and fired Sylvia in order to protect national security. Urgent action was needed and cannot wait another second. So, you know, when the Trump regime says, we don't even know who Iran's military leaders are, we killed this person, we killed that person, we have no clue who to talk to. They're all quitting. They're all running away.

It's all projection and confession because the Trump regime has fired or pushed out basically all of the top military leaders, generals, admirals, and then they go about defaming them and trying to destroy their lives. Just take a look at Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia's background. This guy's resume is like the ideal person you want in the United States military. Folks, what I'm saying right now, this isn't the position of a Democrat. This isn't the position of a liberal. This isn't the position of any political party, folks. Just giving you this guy's resume right now and what the Trump regime has done to him and destroyed this guy's life right now. Look at his service: West Point class of 1994, graduated as an engineer officer, combat command in Afghanistan. He commanded the 307th Engineer Battalion during Operation Enduring Freedom. Then in the fight against ISIS in Iraq, he led the 101st Airborne 2nd Brigade, the Screaming Eagles Combat Team during Operation Inherent Resolve. In other words, he was basically the top commanding officer in Iraq at that point. He didn't take over the full command of the 101st Screaming Eagles. This was— he was leading them in Iraq as the 2nd Brigade Combat Team leader.

Then from 2023 to 2025, he was the commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division. Thereafter, he got the role Joint Staff Strategic Leadership. He served as the J5 Vice Director, then Director of Strategy, Plans, and Policy. In terms of his combat decorations, 6 Bronze Stars, including one for valor, a Purple Heart, and he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal with Valor as well. And there was someone else in that role before him who was fired. Um, and a previous person who held that role, uh, the J5— we'll go over this— his name was Lieutenant General Joseph McKee. The J5 is a 3-star role, and Lieutenant General Joseph McKee was pushed out by the Trump regime back in October of 2025, holding that same position. So you have the Trump regime statements brutally defaming Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia. Then you have the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, You have the Joint Force and you have the military praising, uh, this guy's work. And, uh, so that's what the Trump regime is up to right now. Let me remind everybody all of the people the Trump regime has fired or pushed out from 2025 to the present in the military.

Starting in January 21st, 2025, 4-star Admiral Linda Fagan, who was the Coast Guard Commandant. February 2025, They got rid of General Charles Q. Brown, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. And remember, General C.Q. Brown was a 4-star. He was actually qualified to be the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, whereas Dan Cain, the current chairman of the Joint Chiefs, had to get a waiver after the Trump regime fired C.Q. Brown. They fired C.Q. Brown because he's Black. That's why they fired him. And a lot of the people the Trump regime fired were either because they're women, or they're Black, or they were supportive of promotions of women, Black people, and Latino people. And so that's one of the main grounds for, uh, termination. They also fired in February of 2025, uh, Admiral Lisa Franchetti, Chief of Naval Operations, 4-star, General James Slyfe, 4-star Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Joseph Berger III, 3-star general, Lieutenant General Charles Plummer. In April 2025, General Timothy Howe, 4-star NSA Director, US Cyber Command. Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield, 3-star US Representative NATO Military Committee. She was relieved August 2025. Lieutenant General Jeffrey Cruz, Vice Admiral Nancy LaCour, Rear Admiral Milton Sands.

October 2025, Lieutenant General Joseph J.P. McGee, Joint Staff Strategy, the same position I might add that, uh, was just held by Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia. So they both got fired, which basically tells you that Hegseth can't stand people who were involved in the planning actually giving, uh, accurate advice. Um, Admiral Alvin Halsey, that's the US Southern Command, who left as the Trump regime was engaged in all of the war crimes. Off the coast of Venezuela. And Alvin Halsey was like, I'm not going to be here, you know, for this. And he left being the, um, US Southern Command, uh, leader. In April of 2026, the Trump regime forced out General Randy George, like the most beloved guy in the entire United States Army. General David Hodne, um, was forced out and removed. He was the Army Transformation and Training Command Major General William Green. Then in June and July of 2026, General Christopher Donahue, the last man in Afghanistan, and one of the most popular and well-thought-of members of the United States military. And he was leading the US Army Europe and Africa. And just now, October 2026, Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia, the 3-star, he was again in charge of the military planning and the main, uh, coordination with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

Let me just share with you, uh, this clip right over here. This is Major General Brett G. Sylvia, who was just fired by Hegseth and the Trump regime, July 2024. You'll see here the 101st Airborne Division air assault change of command when Major General, then Major General, now Lieutenant General Brett G. Sylvia was put into this position. Here, play this clip.

In August of 1942, Major General William C. Lee gave us our mission and our purpose. He said, the 101st Airborne Division has no history, but it has a rendezvous with destiny. I am more than excited to put Old A back onto my left shoulder and continue this rendezvous with destiny alongside all of you.

More over here. Um, this was an update that he gave that that Brett Sylvia gave when he was the commander of the 101st Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team in 2027, when he was in Iraq at this time, just so you can see what kind of guy he was. Here, play this clip.

And closing, let me say that I'm extremely proud of every member of Task Force Strike and all they have accomplished these past 9 months. We provided training, equipment, intelligence, fire support, and advice to our very capable Iraqi partners. Everywhere I go and talk with Iraqi leaders, they go out of their way to talk about their partner, a strike leader standing side by side with them, enabling them with coalition expertise and effects, compelling success, and defeating an enemy of all people everywhere. They have truly lived up to our brigade motto: I'm a strike soldier, I fight where I'm told and I win where I fight.

Now, with all of this chaos taking place, you had J.D. Vance sent a letter to Iran's top security chief, Mohsen Razai, who's the top advisor to Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. And, uh, J.D. Vance reached out trying to make a deal with Iran and trying to revive peace talks. And so while Donald Trump's like, we're going to obliterate Iran, we're going to wipe them off the map, they're begging to make a deal, we're going to destroy them, it's just a matter of time, I get to decide when this ends, we've already won, they're begging for a deal. Donald Trump had J.D. Vance, or J.D. Vance on his own, who knows with this chaotic and just regime of losers. J.D. Vance sends a letter to Mohsen Razi, who's like the top advisor to Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, basically saying, can we please try to do a deal before the midterms? We need to do a deal before the midterms. Can you just agree to some denuclearization so we could declare a deal and we'll pull out our aircraft carriers and we could, you know, basically have, um, you know, uh, at least an interim agreement? To which Mohsen Razai has said what Iran's been saying now since March.

Um, and he said, no, you have to agree to our terms. We feel stronger than ever. You, the Trump regime, you want to lie to the American public and you'll have propaganda networks that lie and claim that you think you're in a position of strength. You've never been weaker. The US military bases in the region have been destroyed. The Trump regime has fired all the top military leaders. The 4-stars, the 3-star generals and admirals are all gone. You have Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump who don't know what the hell they're even doing. Um, and Iran feels stronger. They've got ballistic missile arsenal built up. They've got their cruise missile arsenal built up. They've got upgraded drones, likely a lot of the Geran-4 technology that we're now seeing in Russia, those upgraded Shahed drones. And so Motion Razi says, agree to our conditions and then we'll open up the Strait of Hormuz. You don't have the cards, Donald Trump and J.D. Vance. We are not in Iran going to agree to anything to deal with the nuclear file or denuclearization at all. We're not— it's not even up for discussion. The only discussion right now is, will we, Iran, open up the Strait of Hormuz?

And the answer is, if you unfreeze $13 billion in a Qatari bank account, if you provide $300 billion in restoration funds and redevelopment funds for the damage you've caused Iran, if you have Israel withdraw from southern Lebanon and other areas in the Middle East and recognize a Palestinian state, and stop the genocide in Gaza, if you recognize Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz, if you cease— if you have a full ceasefire throughout the region for Iran's so-called Axis of Resistance, then we're open to open the Strait of Hormuz. That's it. We're not talking about nuclear anything at this point. And that's— Motion Razai responded right away. And then Foreign Minister Araghchi repeated that. They said, agree to our 7 conditions and we open up the Strait of Hormuz. Otherwise, we're not budging at all. And as I've reported before as well, you've had Iran's President Pahlavi. He's been spending a few days— oh, he spent a day or two in Moscow at the Gas Exporters Conference, where he had a major role with other countries, not just Russia, but also Qatar, where Iran's been greeted as basically the conquering hero at all of these BRICS bloc meetings.

and Shanghai Cooperation Organization meetings, the recent former Soviet country meeting in Turkmenistan, and now the gas export countries meeting. And Russia and Iran agreed to more nuclear cooperation in Iran, more build-out of nuclear plants in Bushehr, more nuclear plants throughout Iran. And President Peshevsky and Putin talked about increasing their broader cooperation while the Trump regime has, you know, fired its top generals. And now as Donald Trump's threatening escalation, they got rid of, uh, they got rid of the top planning position. And not only that, but now they're defamed. Think about the destruction of morale in the United States military, that not only do they fire this well-respected Lieutenant General, 3-star, then they They defame him and say these horrific, horrific things about him. So let me share with you what former President Obama said last night during his speech in Georgia and what a speech he gave. Play this clip.

Repeatedly, how is this war going? Our allies and bases have been attacked. Americans have been killed. Hundreds of Americans have been wounded. We have run down our stock of missiles, making us more vulnerable. And Iran now has veto power over the Strait of Hormuz, where much of the world's oil goes through to get to consumers. So follow me now. This is the reason why the price of oil is up.

This is what Senator Ossoff said last night, uh, after the speech when he gave an interview, um, on MSNBC. Now let's play this clip.

Well, the reality, Lawrence, is that that bluster from the failed commander-in-chief is meant to deflect and distract from the fact that this is a strategic debacle of the first order. The president has backed not just himself But our nation into a corner. This is precisely what he was warned would happen. This is precisely why President Obama worked so hard and so effectively to implement a diplomatic solution to this problem. And so the president gets out there and blusters that he can end this whenever he wants to. The reality is that the president and his national security team have made a giant mess for our country. And what's really chilling are his threats to escalate post-election. And that just speaks to how important it is that we elect majorities in both chambers of Congress who can check and balance this out-of-control, feckless, corrupt president. And again, that's why this race in Georgia is so important and why I'm asking everybody to log Log on to electjohn.com right now and chip in.

And meanwhile, you had Donald Trump saying the following, and you had Donald Trump saying that, no, J.D. Vance was not asking for a deal with Mohsen Raisi, the top adviser to Ayatollah Mojtaba Khomeini. No, no, no. J.D. Vance was trying to help the Iranians with humanitarian aid and get them food and medicine. That's what we really want to do in the Trump regime. We're trying to help Iran with food and medicine, folks. Every word, sound, syllable, sentence out of Donald Trump's mouth is a complete and utter lie. Let's play it.

Did you direct Vice President Pence to ask Iran to start nuclear sanctions? No.

What that is, is we— they need help with medical supplies and various things. Uh, he asked me what I thought. I said, if you want to do that, that's okay. Basically, it's getting supplies in to help people that are not well.