Pentagon: Hegseth to address 'senior military leaders' next week

The Pentagon on Thursday said that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will address "senior military leaders" next week.

“The Secretary of War will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week,” chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told The Hill.

The statement comes after the Washington Post reported that Hegseth earlier this week ordered hundreds of the military’s generals and admirals to gather on short notice and without a stated reason on Tuesday at the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Va.

Multiple unnamed sources told the Post that the directive was sent to virtually all the military’s top commanders worldwide — all senior officers with the rank of brigadier general or above, their Navy equivalent, and their top enlisted advisers — which is roughly 800 generals or admirals.

There has not been a defense secretary in recent history who has ordered such a large number of the military’s leaders to gather in this manner.

The order comes after the Trump administration fired numerous senior leaders this year, and follows Hegseth’s directive from May to reduce the number of general officers by 20%.