Hegseth to brief hundreds of senior officers at Quantico next Tuesday

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has summoned scores of the U.S. military's most senior officers to a Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia, next Tuesday for a meeting that Pentagon officials have confirmed but declined to explain. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a brief statement that "the Secretary will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week," but provided no further detail on who was asked to attend or the agenda.

Multiple reports said the directive was sent to commanders with the rank of brigadier general and above, along with their top enlisted advisers, and that officers serving overseas and in active combat zones were among those expected to be ordered to the gathering. Accounts varied on scope. Some officials described the call as covering virtually all of the roughly 800 generals and admirals across the services, while others characterized it as a summons for "hundreds" of senior leaders. Two anonymous defense officials quoted by news organizations said the move was highly unusual and that the order did not include a reason.

The suddenness of the directive and lack of explanation have prompted concern inside the military. One official asked,...