Leak investigation led to firing of Joint Staff member and DOJ referral: Pentagon

The firing of Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, a top military planner on the Joint Staff, came after an “extensive” investigation into leaks, and the matter has been referred to the Justice Department, according to Sean Parnell, the top Pentagon spokesman.Parnell posted a lengthy statement on social media Thursday morning addressing the news of Sylvia’s firing, which came out a day earlier. His comments are the first on-the-record response since it became public.“Following an extensive Air Force OSI investigation, the Department took necessary personnel action to protect sensitive information,” Parnell said. “To protect the integrity of the investigation, no further comment will be made regarding the individual or the circumstances of this action. This matter, along with others, have been referred to the Justice Department for potential further legal action.” A source familiar with the DOJ’s decision-making processes declined to confirm or deny the existence of an investigation.War Secretary Pete Hegseth has long been fixated on rooting out leaks from within the department.“The Department of War has zero tolerance for the intentional, unauthorized disclosure of classified information,” Parnell said. “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.”He did not mention Sylvia by name, what he allegedly leaked, or to whom. It is also unclear, if the allegations are true, whether he leaked “classified information” or “sensitive national security information.”The Pentagon declined to comment to the Washington Examiner.A spokesperson for the Joint Staff initially provided a statement to the Washington Examiner extending its “deepest gratitude” to Sylvia for his service, then provided a new statement that reads, “Out of respect for the service member and the ongoing personnel process, we will not comment further.”Last year, Hegseth fired three staffers whom he accused of leaking information to the media. None of them were ever charged, nor did the department ever provide proof that they were responsible for the leaks in question, actions that they deny. The officials were senior adviser Dan Caldwell, who later accepted a job at the Office of the Director of National Security; deputy chief of staff Darin Selnick; and Colin Carroll, the chief of staff to the deputy secretary of war.Hegseth himself shared plans of impending military operations in Yemen against the Houthis last year in a Signal group chat with other administration officials. Unbeknownst to them, there was an Atlantic journalist in the chat as well. The outlet published the texts contained within the chat after the discussed military operations were already underway.PENTAGON INSPECTOR GENERAL DECLINES TO OPEN STARLINK INVESTIGATIONAn inspector general investigation concluded that Hegseth “sent sensitive, nonpublic, operational information that he determined did not require classification over the Signal chat on his personal cell phone,” and in doing so “did not comply with” War Department Instruction 8170.01. The secretary declined to sit for an interview with the inspector general’s office, though he provided it with a letter addressing its investigation.Parnell said the inspector general report into Hegseth’s use of Signal amounted to “TOTAL exoneration.”Kaelan Deese contributed to this report.