CaliToday (27/9/2025): U.S. military leaders from commands across the globe have begun preparations to travel to Virginia for a rare, in-person summit with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth next week, a gathering that several officials described on Friday as being focused on the "warrior ethos."
 |
| 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 photo by Associated Press |
In a highly unusual move, Hegseth has summoned the nation's top generals and admirals to a single location in Quantico, Virginia, on Tuesday. The assembly of such a significant portion of the U.S. military's senior leadership has put the Pentagon on high alert, with many anticipating a consequential and potentially unpredictable meeting.
Two U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, stated that the event's primary focus will be a direct address from Hegseth on the necessity of adhering to a "warrior ethos" throughout the armed forces. However, others suggested that the meeting, scheduled to last about an hour, could broach a wide range of critical and potentially contentious topics.
A third official noted that given the sheer number of senior leaders present, it is highly probable that major issues such as the administration's new National Defense Strategy and a planned reduction in the number of top-ranking general officers could be discussed, even if they are not on the official agenda.
"I would not be surprised if there are any surprises at this event," the official said, reflecting a palpable sense of unease within the officer corps. "We will not be letting our guard down."
The summit is expected to take place at the Marine Corps University in Quantico, Virginia, officials told Reuters. Some of the most senior commanders, who have access to U.S. military aircraft for official travel, are expected to fly into Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. The United States maintains a vast military presence worldwide, with two, three, and four-star generals and admirals commanding forces in distant locations from South Korea and Japan to across the Middle East.
A Department in Upheaval
The meeting comes amid a period of radical and rapid transformation at the Pentagon under Hegseth, a former Fox News host. A consistent theme in nearly all of Hegseth's public speeches has been the "warrior spirit" and the need for the U.S. military to embody it.
This philosophy was given a powerful symbolic boost earlier this month when President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming the Department of Defense back to its pre-World War II name: the "Department of War." The original name change in 1947 was intended to emphasize the Pentagon's role in preventing conflict, a notion the current administration has actively sought to reverse.
Since taking office, Hegseth has acted with remarkable speed to reshape the department in line with President Trump's "America First" national security agenda. This has included the dismissal of numerous top generals and admirals and a concerted effort to roll back diversity and inclusion initiatives, which Hegseth has publicly condemned as discriminatory and a distraction from the military's core warfighting mission. The upcoming summit is viewed by many as the next major step in this aggressive restructuring effort.
