Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is considering another large gathering of generals and admirals at Marine Corps Base Quantico, where officials say he could outline new Pentagon priorities and issue another round of directives to the armed forces.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is considering calling hundreds of senior U.S. military officers back to Marine Corps Base Quantico for another high-level meeting less than a year after convening a similar gathering there, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Unnamed U.S. officials told the Journal that Hegseth would likely use the potential meeting to again lay out his priorities for the armed forces, with one official saying the secretary also intends to issue a new collection of directives.
No date has been set, and it remains unclear whether every serving general and admiral would be summoned.
“We have nothing to announce at this time,” Pentagon spokesman Joel Valdez told the Journal.
The proposed meeting would follow Hegseth’s September 2025 gathering at Quantico, when generals and admirals from throughout the military were ordered to assemble on short notice before the Pentagon publicly explained the purpose.
At that event, Hegseth presented his agenda for the military, emphasizing readiness, combat effectiveness and “warfighting” while sharply criticizing policies adopted during the Biden administration that he described as distracting the military from its core mission.
“For too long, we have simply not done that. The military has been forced by foolish and reckless politicians to focus on the wrong things,” Hegseth said. “In many ways, this speech is about fixing decades of decay, some of it obvious, some of it hidden.”
President Donald Trump also addressed the military leaders at the 2025 gathering.
Both Trump and Hegseth received a restrained response from the officers in attendance. Senior military personnel are bound by strict rules governing partisan political activity, and the audience’s reaction was described as polite but muted.
It remains unclear whether Trump would participate in a second Quantico meeting.
Hegseth used last year’s event not only to discuss broader Pentagon strategy but also to announce a renewed focus on physical fitness, grooming and professional appearance throughout the force.
“We don’t have a military full of Nordic pagans,” Hegseth said. “But unfortunately, we have had leaders who either refuse to call BS and enforce standards, or leaders who felt like they were not allowed to enforce standards. Both are unacceptable. And that’s why today, at my direction, the era of unprofessional appearance is over.
“No more beardos. The era of rampant and ridiculous shaving profiles is done. Simply put, if you do not meet the male level physical standards for combat positions, cannot pass a PT test or don’t want to shave and look professional, it’s time for a new position or a new profession.”
The Pentagon simultaneously released 11 memorandums detailing administration priorities, including changes to fitness requirements and grooming standards.
Hegseth also made clear that combat-related physical standards should apply equally regardless of sex.
“When it comes to any job that requires physical power to perform in combat, those physical standards must be high and gender-neutral,” Hegseth said. “If that means no women qualify for some combat jobs, so be it.”
The possible second gathering suggests Hegseth may again use Quantico as a venue to communicate major policy changes directly to the military’s senior leadership.
Officials have not disclosed what new directives could be released or whether they would involve personnel standards, force structure, operational priorities or other Pentagon policies.
The scale of the proposed meeting also remains unsettled.
Last year’s gathering was notable because senior officers from across the services were ordered to appear at the same location with little initial explanation, making it an unusual event for the Pentagon’s top uniformed leadership.
If Hegseth proceeds with another summit, it would give him another opportunity to address generals and admirals collectively as the administration continues reshaping military policy around readiness, discipline and combat effectiveness.
For now, however, the Pentagon has made no formal announcement about the timing, attendance or agenda of any second Quantico gathering.
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