Speculation on Why Pete Hegseth Abruptly Called Top Military Leaders to a Meeting

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has ordered top U.S. military leaders from around the world to convene at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia next week.  

Hegseth has not explained why he called the meeting or what issues will be discussed, but Army Special Forces veteran Steven Bucci says such a high-level meeting is “not completely unprecedented.”  

Bucci predicts a possible reason for the meeting “is to roll out/explain some new strategic areas of focus or rearrangement of strategic priorities.” Bucci is a visiting fellow with The Heritage Foundation who focuses on cybersecurity, military special operations, and defense support to civil authorities.

“There could also be a side discussion on the issue of leaders ‘talking out of school,’” he continued. “The administration really does not want public displays of disunity. It is likely that the secretary of war and the [Joint Chiefs of Staff] want to communicate that directly to the department uniformed leaders.”  

The Department of War has experience a number of changes under the Trump administration, including a name change from the Department of Defense. The name change spurred reports of grumblings from some Pentagon employees who complained the rebrand would cost precious time and resources.  

While attention has been given to the potential size of the meeting, Robert Peters, a senior research fellow for strategic deterrence at The Heritage Foundation’s Allison Center for National Security, says Hegseth has only called those generals and admirals who are “in command” to the meeting. 

“That’s an important distinction, as it refers to officers that command brigades, fleets, divisions, corps, and combatant commands,” Peters says. “While there are, in fact, roughly 800 generals and admirals in the U.S. military, only a small fraction of those are ‘in command.’ The rest may be a commander’s deputy, or leading a combat support agency (such as the Defense Intelligence Agency), or running a staff at the Pentagon, etc. Few of those are technically ‘in command.’”  

If the meeting only convenes generals and admirals who are currently “in command,” this would indicate it will be a meeting of dozens, not hundreds, according to Peters.  

As to the nature of the meeting, Peters says Hegseth may want to discuss “the new National Defense Strategy, which is due out in a matter of days to weeks, which could see a realignment of military forces to focus on hemispheric defense.”  

Other agenda items may include an announcement regarding staff reductions or a significant policy change that would affect much of the military, but the facts are unknown right now and all “we have is speculation,” Peters said.  

Vice President JD Vance called the meeting between Hegseth and top military leaders “not particularly unusual,” telling the media, “I think it’s odd that you guys have made it into such a big story.”  

Sabrina Singh, former deputy Pentagon press secretary, disagreed with Vance on CNN Friday morning, calling the meeting “incredibly unusual.”  

The officers Hegseth has summoned include those who have served in the military for 30 or more years under various administrations, Singh said.  

“These are people who serve their country. They don’t serve at the pleasure of one person,” Singh continued. “And I think what Pete Hegseth is doing, and [President] Donald Trump, is these loyalty tests, and so who knows what next week’s meeting really brings?”

“Personnel is policy,” as The Daily Signal’s President Rob Bluey pointed out while speaking alongside Singh on CNN.  

“Pete Hegseth wants to make sure that those generals are aligned,” Bluey said, adding that the secretary likely wants to make sure that those who report to him are “fully aware of what his expectations are of them.”