Pentagon chief calls hundreds of generals to emergency meeting, reports WP

Unnamed sources told the outlet that the highly unusual directive was sent to nearly all senior US Army commanders worldwide, with no explanation provided for its purpose.

The generals are expected to meet at a Marine Corps base in Virginia next week. In a statement today, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed that Hegseth "will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week," but did not provide further details.

WP sources noted that Hegseth’s order applies to all senior officers with the rank of brigadier general and above, or their Navy equivalents, holding command positions, as well as their "top enlisted advisers." Typically, such officers oversee hundreds or thousands of enlisted personnel.

The sources added that the meeting will include senior commanders from conflict zones, as well as high-ranking military leaders stationed in Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific region.

The meeting raises alarm

"People are very concerned. They have no idea what it means," one source told reporters.

Two other sources expressed frustration that many commanders stationed outside the US were summoned to the meeting.

"You don’t call GOFOs leading their people and the global force into an auditorium outside D.C. and not tell them why/what the topic or agenda is," one source added.

The orders come amid sweeping reforms initiated by Hegseth at the Pentagon, including a 20% reduction in generals, the dismissal of senior leaders without explanation, and a high-profile directive to rename the Department of Defense as the Department of War.

Pentagon purges

In May, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a 20% cut in four-star officers.

Under his directive, the total number of general and flag officer positions in the US Armed Forces is being reduced by 10%.