U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, left, and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George review troops during the POW/MIA National Recognition Day Ceremony at the Pentagon, Sept. 19, 2025, in Washington.
FILE - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a ceremony at the Pentagon to commemorate the 24rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Sept. 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)
Hegseth abruptly summons top military commanders to a meeting in Virginia next week
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has summoned hundreds of generals and admirals for a sudden meeting next week, according to two people familiar with the matter.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, left, and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George review troops during the POW/MIA National Recognition Day Ceremony at the Pentagon, Sept. 19, 2025, in Washington.
By Konstantin Toropin, Emma Burrows, Ben Finley The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has summoned the military’s top officers 鈥 hundreds of generals and admirals 鈥 to a base in northern Virginia for a sudden meeting next week, according to three people familiar with the matter.
The directive did not offer a reason for the gathering Tuesday of senior commanders of the one-star rank or higher and their top advisers at the Marine Corps base in Quantico. The people, who described the move as unusual, were not authorized to publicly discuss the sensitive plans and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Pentagon’s top spokesman, Sean Parnell, confirmed that Hegseth “will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week.鈥
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Across the military, there are 800 generals and admirals of all ranks. Many command thousands of service members and are stationed across the world in more than a dozen countries and time zones.
The meeting, first reported by The Washington Post, comes on the heels of several unusual and unexplained actions that Hegseth has taken involving military leaders.
that the military cut 20% of its four-star general officers, directed an additional 10% cut from all general and flag officers across the force, and told the National Guard to shed 20% of its top positions.
Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the Navy’s top officer, and Gen. James Slife, the Air Force’s second highest officer, without explanation. He also .
Since then, Hegseth has without saying why. Most recently it was who led a military intelligence agency whose of U.S. damage to Iranian nuclear sites in American strikes angered President Donald Trump.
