Washington, September 26, 2025 (Agencies): U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered an urgent gathering of America’s top generals and admirals at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, on September 30, in a move that has stirred speculation across the defense establishment.
The directive, issued earlier this week, surprised many of the senior officers, who said they were not told the purpose of the meeting or how to prepare, according to people familiar with the matter, Air & Space Forces Magazine reported.
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the development on Thursday, saying only that “the Secretary of War will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week.” Hegseth was formally granted the secondary title of “Secretary of War” earlier this month through an executive order signed by President Donald Trump.
While large-scale meetings of senior military leaders are not uncommon—the Air Force holds regular CORONA sessions, for example—such gatherings are usually planned months in advance. The sudden scheduling of the Quantico meeting has caught many off guard, with officials scrambling to adjust their calendars.
Speculation is mounting over the agenda. Analysts suggest the meeting could involve the unveiling of a new National Defense Strategy, or announcements related to Hegseth’s earlier directive to cut at least 20 percent of four-star billets and reduce the total number of generals and admirals by 10 percent. The Defense Secretary has also signaled a sweeping review of U.S. commands and staff structures, raising expectations of major consolidations.
Since assuming office, Hegseth has already overseen sweeping changes in the Pentagon’s top brass. He replaced Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa M. Franchetti, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James C. Slife, U.S. Cyber Command and NSA chief Gen. Timothy D. Haugh, and DIA Director Lt. Gen. Jeffrey A. Kruse. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin also announced he would retire in November, well before completing his four-year term.
Pentagon officials have declined to share details of the September 30 meeting, nor did they say if any part of the gathering will be open to the media.