The Wall Street Journal: Hegseth Is Preparing The Generals For A Tough Talk

• 27.09.2025, 22:27

Details of an emergency meeting of high-ranking officers have been revealed.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth unexpectedly summoned hundreds of high-ranking officers for a meeting in Virginia on Tuesday. Officials said he intended to deliver a speech on "military morale" and align his priorities with generals and admirals amid growing dissatisfaction with the slow implementation of his directives at the Pentagon, writes The Wall Street Journal.

Sources said the order for the emergency meeting surprised many in the military and fed fears of new personnel purges after Hegseth's layoffs this year.

"The secretary will address his senior military leaders early next week," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed.

Although officials note that the secretary has no plans to announce new national security directives, but only wants to reassure commanders of his vision for the department's functioning. The meeting at Quantico is scheduled to be recorded and made public after the speech.

Since his appointment, Hegseth has repeatedly criticized senior commanders for "provocative policies" in the military and insisted on strengthening "military morale." In May, he issued orders to cut the number of senior generals and admirals, including 20 percent of the four-star ranks.

Hegseth's leadership has been accompanied by internal disputes, leaks and an investigation into the possible dissemination of classified data in a private chat room. It has raised doubts even among allies in Congress.

"I think it's clear that he's clearly out of place as the head of a large, complex organization," said Republican Senator Tom Tillis.

At the same time, President Donald Trump strongly supports the secretary. "It's wonderful when generals and officials want to come to the United States to be with the now secretary of war," he said, commenting on the meeting.