Updated on: October 29, 2026 / 10:54 AM EDT / CBS/AP

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Washington — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired the Pentagon's top military planner, several sources confirmed to CBS News late Wednesday.

A Pentagon official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive personnel matters, said Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia was accused of misconduct for allegedly leaking classified information related to the Iran war and the Russia-Ukraine war .

Sylvia failed three polygraph tests about sharing classified information with the press, the official said, adding that the case has been referred to the Department of Justice.

Two other Pentagon sources confirmed to CBS News that the firing was related to the polygraph tests, but said those accusations are not true.

Hegseth has made rooting out leakers at the Pentagon a priority, with sources telling CBS News last month that high-ranking military officials were subject to polygraph tests.…