Hegseth orders hundreds of senior military officers to Virginia for highly unusual meeting

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attends a ceremony honoring prisoners of war at the Pentagon on September 19, 2025. Daniel Becerril/Reuters/File

Hundreds of US generals and admirals around the globe have been called to Virginia for a meeting with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth next Tuesday, several US officials told CNN, though the reason for the meeting is unclear.

The meeting is expected to be held at the military installation in Quantico, Virginia, multiple officials said, adding that no one seems to know what the meeting is about, including the general and flag officers themselves, or why it was suddenly added to the calendar.

One source familiar said they’d heard theories ranging from a group physical fitness test, to receiving a briefing on the state of the Defense Department,