AhlulBayt News Agency: US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has issued an unprecedented directive, summoning hundreds of generals and admirals from across the globe to convene at the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia next week, sparking unease among senior military ranks.
The Pentagon confirmed the upcoming meeting but refrained from providing specifics. “The Secretary of War will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week,” said chief spokesman Sean Parnell on Thursday.
President Donald Trump, who recently renamed the Pentagon as the “Department of War,” dismissed concerns about the gathering, describing it as a “friendly” event.
“It’s great when generals and top people want to come to the United States to be with a now-called Secretary of War,” Trump told reporters. “They’ll also be touring equipment sites and discussing the latest weapons. It’s going to be great.”
Military officials expressed surprise at the order, noting that it disrupted global schedules and forced commanders in active conflict zones to make abrupt travel arrangements.
One official told Politico that the meeting’s purpose could have been conveyed via secure digital channels, questioning the necessity of assembling so many high-ranking officers in one place.
Hegseth’s reforms at the Pentagon include dismissing senior officers and cutting the number of four-star generals and admirals by 20%, arguing that a surplus of top brass does not equate to better outcomes.
Traditionally, the Joint Chiefs and combatant commanders meet biannually in Washington, but the recall of hundreds of officers, including those in active theaters, is virtually unheard of.
Recent Pentagon policy reviews have shifted focus from China to domestic security. The Quantico meeting may serve as a platform for Hegseth to unveil his “less generals, more GIs” strategy.
Trump and Hegseth have also tightened control over Pentagon communications, issuing a memo that threatens to revoke press credentials for unauthorized disclosures. Hegseth declared, “The press does not run the Pentagon – the people do.”
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