You Rang?

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has summoned most, if not all of the United States’ top military commanders to meet at Quantico Marine Base in Virginia early next week. The meeting, which the Pentagon confirmed, will result in hundreds of general and flag officers leaving their command posts around the globe for a reported lecture on the “warrior ethos".

A last-minute meeting of senior military officers would usually spell a major announcement such as the onset of a war or other foreign policy action that would require massive mobilization and global effort. After all, convening the military’s highest-ranking officers in a single location is a security risk both at the meeting location and to global threat posture when the United States is left without leadership in theater. Further, it could cost the government millions in travel funds on the eve of a potential government shutdown. The seriousness of this step indicates that we should expect see a major announcement beyond the “warrior ethos” discussion. Here’s what to look for.

• Major foreign policy realignment. The administration has been teasing both a new National Defense Strategy (NDS) and a new Unified Campaign Plan that could spell a major shift in focus for the Department of Defense. The new NDS, which is expected to focus predominantly on domestic and Western Hemisphere threats, will mark a significant and likely deeply unpopular change in priorities for a general officer corps and Congress that have focused predominantly on the security threat from China and aiding allies and partners in Europe against increasing Russian aggression. An in-person announcement by the secretary of defense may be the administration’s way of trying to circumvent any opposition before it has a chance to take root.
• Major personnel shifts and announcements. The administration has announced its intention to reduce the number of general and flag officers in the US military by at least 10%, with a 20% cut coming at the four-star rank. Hegseth may see this gathering as an opportunity to enforce further personnel cuts.
• Government shutdown instructions. The timing and urgency of the meeting ahead of a likely shutdown suggests that Secretary Hegseth may intend to make an announcement about funding or personnel plans absent government appropriations. During a shutdown, most civilians in the Department of Defense will be furloughed, which could put tremendous stress on uniformed military already feeling pressure trying to compensate for the more than 60,000 civilian departures from the department since January.

If, as the latest reporting suggests, the meeting will simply be a lecture about the “warrior ethos”, it calls into question the wisdom of convening such a high-ranking group of officers with critical and wide-ranging responsibilities. However, if it is instead used to make a major announcement, it could be well in the administration’s interest to socialize significant policy changes with the Department of Defense’s most experienced and perceptive leaders. Only next week will tell.