Hegseth summons hundreds of generals, admirals for urgent meeting

Sec. Hegseth orders meeting of top military leaders

National security analyst Hal Kempfer joins LiveNOW's Mike Pache to discuss reports that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has called a meeting with top U.S. military leaders for next week in Quantico, Virginia.

WASHINGTON -
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has summoned the military's top officers for a sudden meeting next week.

Hundreds of generals and admirals will meet at a Marine Corps base in Virginia on Tuesday, according to the Washington Post.

Little details were shared about what the meeting would be about. 

FILE - U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth listens as U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks before signing a Presidential Memorandum in the Oval Office on Sept. 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

What they're saying:

The Pentagon's top spokesman, Sean Parnell, confirmed that Hegseth "will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week."

The meeting, first reported by The Washington Post, comes on the heels of several unusual and unexplained actions that Hegseth has taken involving military leaders.

Cuts to military staff

The backstory:

In May, Hegseth ordered that the military cut 20% of its four-star general officers, directed an additional 10% cut from all general and flag officers across the force, and told the National Guard to shed 20% of its top positions.

In February, Hegseth fired Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the Navy's top officer, and Gen. James Slife, the Air Force's second-highest officer, without explanation. He also relieved the military's top lawyers.

Since then, Hegseth has fired other military leaders without saying why. Most recently it was a general who led a military intelligence agency whose initial assessment of U.S. damage to Iranian nuclear sites in American strikes angered President Donald Trump.