U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth Calls Rare Gathering of Top Military Commanders at Quantico

 

WASHINGTON, Sept 25 (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered senior military commanders from around the world to convene in Quantico, Virginia, next week, five officials told Reuters on Thursday. The unusual, short-notice summons has stirred uncertainty across the military’s top ranks.

It remains unclear why Hegseth called the meeting, but officials said the abrupt directive has disrupted tightly planned schedules. Some generals and admirals oversee tens of thousands of troops and normally plan engagements weeks in advance.

“People are scrambling to change their plans and see if they have to attend,” one U.S. official said on condition of anonymity. 

A Pentagon spokesperson, Sean Parnell, confirmed only that “the Secretary of War will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week,” without elaborating on the number of attendees, the agenda, or the reason for the urgency.

The move comes amid sweeping changes under Hegseth, a former Fox News host who has rapidly reshaped the Pentagon since taking office. Acting on orders from former President Donald Trump, he has pushed to rename the Pentagon the “Department of War,” a change requiring congressional approval, and has dismissed multiple senior officers in recent months.

In February, Hegseth fired Air Force General C.Q. Brown, then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, along with five other top commanders in an unprecedented shake-up. In May, he directed a 20% cut in four-star positions, as well as reductions across the National Guard and other general and flag officer billets. “More generals and admirals does not lead to more success,” he wrote in a memo at the time.

Last month, he dismissed the head of the Pentagon’s intelligence agency and two additional senior commanders.

Now, many of those remaining generals and admirals are expected to gather in the same room.

While some officials suggested the meeting may be routine, others said the lack of transparency has fueled speculation. “It’s probably more mundane than people think… but the lack of clarity isn’t helping,” one senior officer said.