President Trump has weighed in on the firing of Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, the Pentagon's director for strategy, plans and policy on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Speaking to reporters on a tarmac, Trump said the official was "gonna have big problems" and stressed that his administration is "very much looking for leakers." In the same remarks, he referred to Sylvia as "she," even though the general is a man, and the slip quickly drew attention online. The comments land as the Pentagon continues to see senior officers removed and as leadership tightens its grip on how information leaves the building.

Sylvia, a 1994 West Point graduate and former commander of the 101st Airborne Division, was removed this week by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after more than 30 years of service. Officials accuse him of leaking classified information about the Iran war and the Russia-Ukraine war, and reports say he failed three polygraph tests and that the case was referred to the Justice Department. Those claims come from defense officials, and they have not been tested in court. Some reports also note that a later Pentagon statement on the matter did not name Sylvia or directly accuse him of leaking, which has left open questions about exactly what he is alleged to have done. With the administration weighing its next moves on Iran and enforcing strict anti-leak measures, how this case plays out could shape how far the leak crackdown goes.