Hegseth summons hundreds of military leaders to Virginia

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is convening an urgent, rare meeting of hundreds of generals and admirals in Virginia. Even top generals and their staffs don’t know the reason for the meeting.

This was reported by The Washington Post.

US Defense Secretary Hegseth orders an emergency meeting

According to The Washington Post, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered hundreds of generals and admirals of the US Armed Forces to convene quickly. He did not provide a reason for the urgent meeting.

The meeting will take place at the Marine Corps base in Virginia next week. This has caused confusion and anxiety, especially after the Trump administration fired many senior leaders this year.

The directive was sent to virtually all top military commanders around the world. The directive was issued earlier this week amid the threat of a government shutdown. It comes just months after Hegseth's team at the Pentagon announced plans to consolidate the military's top brass.

On Thursday, September 25, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed in a statement that Pete Hegseth "will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week," though he did not provide further details.

There are approximately 800 generals and admirals in the United States and in other countries, spanning multiple time zones. According to people familiar with the matter, Pete Hegseth's order applies to all senior officers with the rank of brigadier general or higher, as well as their most senior enlisted advisors. This includes their equivalents in the Navy who hold command positions, as well as their most senior enlisted advisors. Typically, each of these officers leads hundreds or thousands of enlisted personnel.

Those expected to attend Hegset's meeting include senior commanders in conflict zones and senior military leaders stationed in Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. However, the order does not apply to senior military officers holding staff positions.

None of the people who spoke to the publication recalled the Defense Secretary ever ordering so many generals and admirals to gather. Some said it raised security concerns.

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