In a France 24 interview, retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges faulted former four-star officers for scant public opposition to policies they consider damaging and said Brett Sylvia’s reported removal may reflect a troubling Pentagon pattern.
Hodges previously led U.S. Army Europe and NATO Allied Land Command; he said the small number of public objections from former four-star generals left him “disappointed and surprised.” France 24 published the interview on Oct. 29.
The Associated Press reported Sylvia was removed from the Joint Staff’s J-5 role on Oct. 28, with no successor announced. EconoTimes previously covered Sylvia’s departure and the vacant post.
Accounts of who authorized the move differed. The AP and CBS described Hegseth as having fired Sylvia; ABC News cited a source who said it was uncertain whether Hegseth or Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine made the decision.
The AP previously reported Sylvia was the second J-5 director to leave under Hegseth. His predecessor, Lt. Gen. Joseph McGee, retired under pressure in October 2025, the AP reported.
