The White House reportedly sought to tamp down speculation Thursday over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s decision to summon hundreds of senior military leaders to a meeting next week, portraying the gathering as routine even as critics in Washington sought to cast it as extraordinary.
“It’s not particularly unusual that generals who report to the secretary of War and then to the president of the United States are coming to speak with the secretary of War,” Vice President J.D. Vance said from the Oval Office. “It’s actually not unusual at all and I think it’s odd that you’ve made it into such a big story.”
President Trump, who has consistently emphasized his administration’s commitment to revitalizing the U.S. military, echoed that message.
He suggested the generals would be “touring equipment sites” and “talking about the newest weapons.” “I think it’s great when generals and top people want to come to the United States to be with our now-secretary of War,” Trump said.
The meeting, which will reportedly take place Tuesday at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, was first disclosed by The Washington Post.
According to the paper, Hegseth earlier this week ordered nearly all of the nation’s top-ranking commanders — officers holding the rank of brigadier general or higher, their Navy equivalents, and senior enlisted advisers — to gather on short notice. The order could bring together more than 800 senior leaders from across the globe.
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed the plan in a brief statement. “The Secretary of War will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week,” Parnell said, without elaborating.
The meeting has fueled speculation in Washington, where anonymous sources cited by the Post claimed to be unsure of its purpose.
Yet administration officials dismissed the swirl of theories as another example of the media and political opponents seeking to manufacture controversy. “It’s odd that you’ve made it into such a big story,” Vance said pointedly.
The timing of the announcement coincided with another high-profile moment for the administration. Just before addressing the matter, Trump signed an executive order designed to advance a deal for U.S. and allied investors to take over the TikTok social media app, a move long pushed by Republicans concerned about national security risks tied to Chinese ownership.
For the administration, the speculation over the generals’ meeting appeared to overshadow what they characterized as a straightforward opportunity for Hegseth to bring together his commanders.
Trump’s suggestion that discussions would center on “touring equipment sites” and “talking about the newest weapons” underscored the White House’s view that the gathering reflects continuity, not crisis.
In the past, presidents and defense secretaries have regularly convened top brass to review priorities, assess readiness, and strengthen alignment on strategy.
The Trump administration, critics note, has often drawn outsize scrutiny for actions that previous administrations considered routine.
The White House’s response made clear that officials see the speculation as less about military planning than about the political climate in Washington. “Generals coming to speak with the secretary of War,” Vance said flatly, “is not unusual at all.”
Shooter at Dallas ICE Facility Left Note Promising ‘Real Terror,’ FBI Says]
About Post Author
