Concerns in the staff | Pete Hegseth summons hundreds of generals and admirals

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth summoned hundreds of generals and admirals in a navy base in Virginia next week. The summons launched unexpectedly and without providing a reason sows confusion and concern; It occurs after the dismissal of many senior officials by the Trump administration.

This very unusual order was sent to almost all the high military commanders deployed worldwide, according to more than a dozen people concerned. It was given at the start of the week, in a context of potential government closure, and while Mr. Hegseth’s openly political initiatives reinforce the fear that he will destroy the non -partisan nature of the Department of Defense.

Thursday, Mr. Hegseth’s main advisor to Pentagon, Sean Parnell, confirmed that the latter “will be addressed to his senior military officials at the start of next week”, but without giving other details. Mr. Parnell did not consider that the fact that the Washington Post reveals this meeting, scheduled for Tuesday in Quantico, Virginia, raised security issues.

There are around 800 generals and admirals in the United States and dozens of other countries and time zones. According to sources to the fact of the file, the order of Mr. Hegseth convenes all the superior officers having the rank of brigadier general or a higher grade, as well as their counterparts in the navy, occupying command posts, and their main military advisers. As a rule, each of these officers oversees hundreds, even thousands of soldiers.

He was not sure that President Donald Trump would attend the meeting. He told journalists in the oval office Thursday afternoon that he would go there if he was asked.

Despite the scope and the secret nature of the meeting, Trump and the vice-president JD Vance minimized its importance: “Why make it a whole dish?” Asked Mr. Trump.

Mr. Vance, who accompanied him, added that he was “not particularly unusual” that the generals maintain each other with Mr. Hegseth. “I find it strange that you make a whole story. »»

High commanders of conflict zones and senior military officials stationed in Europe, the Middle East and in the Asia-Pacific region are summoned, affirm sources to the fact of the file, which have requested anonymity. The order does not apply to chiefs of staff.

“All O-7 officers O-7 to O-10 and their assistants are required to attend insofar as their operational constraints allow it,” said the order, according to a person who has read it. Grades O-7 to O-10 include all generals and admirals.

Each commander generally travels with his main assistant and some military aid of lower rank. Therefore, the summit assistance could exceed a thousand people. It is still unknown how the army will host and transport them.

None of the sources consulted for this article remember that a defense secretary has ever summoned so many generals and admirals. Several say that this raises security issues.

“People are very concerned. They have no idea what it means, “said a person.

Frustration

Others express their frustration that even many commanders stationed abroad are required to attend the improvised summit of Mr. Hegseth, some questioning the relevance of such a decision. “This will weaken commandments if something happens somewhere,” said a defense official.

The Defense Department often uses highly secure videoconference technology which allows military officials, wherever they are, to discuss confidential issues with the White House, the Pentagon or both. Another person observes that summoning hundreds of military leaders in the same place, “it is not done”.

“We do not convene the staff of the global forces in an auditorium outside Washington without indicating the reason, the subject or the agenda,” added this person.

“Are we recalling all the Higher Pacific Officers at the moment?” Asks an American official. “This is weird. »»

In Capitol, where the unorthodox management of the Department of Defense by Mr. Hegseth irritates the members of the two political parties, the elected officials also seemed surprised. The Republican leaders and democrats of the committees of the Armed Forces of the Senate and the House of Representatives did not immediately comment on this news.

This invitation occurs after major changes imposed unilaterally by Mr. Hegseth on the Pentagon, in particular the order to reduce the number of higher officers by 20 % thanks to a draconian consolidation of the high military commands. He also dismissed superior officers without valid reason and given the controversial order to rename the Department of Defense “Department of War”.

The news of the summons sowed confusion to the Pentagon on Thursday. From noon, military officials contacted themselves to determine who exactly was summoned by Mr. Hegseth to Quantico and to know the reason for the meeting. The fear of layoffs was more and more palpable.

According to another person responsible for the file, it seems unlikely that Mr. Hegseth summoned this meeting to unveil a new defense strategy, examine the consolidation of commandments or lecture the commanders on military standards.

“They will not bring everyone together in a room to say to them:” Stop varnishing your nails, we are a combat organization “,” observes this manager, adding that some are concerned about the meeting of Mr. Hegseth would coincide with the closure of the government and could leave the commanders, or at least certain members of their staff, without means of transport to return to their post.

Army politicization?

His unusual summons to the basis of quantico next week coincides with his influence efforts on the promotion of senior officers, note several managers consulted for this article. Even at the level of generals to one and two stars, Mr. Hegseth’s team scrutinizes their old relationships and previous activities on social networks to determine who to grant a promotion.

This initiative had a dissuasive effect on the officers who go up in the rank, notes people close to the file; Several officials have expressed their discomfort on this subject and wonder if it may make the military institution permeable to the country’s toxic policy. It is also estimated that such pressure will push certain officers in full ascent to leave, which would cause considerable losses for the pentagon in time and money devoted to the formation of these leaders.

Absolute priority to the defense of the national territory

The Trump administration is also preparing a new national defense strategy that would defend the national territory absolute priority, after several years during which China was identified as the main threat to the national security of the United States. Some those responsible for the summons say they believe that this question could be addressed.

The directive given in May by Mr. Hegseth to eliminate a hundred positions of generals and admirals arouses concern among senior military officials. He called for a “minimum” reduction of 20 % of the number of four -star generals – the highest grade in the army – in active service as well as in the National Guard. There will also be another reduction of at least 10 % of the total number of generals and admirals in all the armed forces.

Last month, Mr. Hegseth dismissed Lieutenant-General Jeffrey Kruse, Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Vice-Admiral Nancy Lacore, head of the Navy reserve, and counter-admiral Milton Sands, Navy Seal officer who supervised the command of special naval operations. No specific reason has been given in these cases.

These dismissals are the latest in a vast purge among the superior officers of national security agencies.

Since his entry into office, the Trump administration has also dismissed the supreme chief of the staff, General Charles Q. Brown Jr., the naval operations head, the Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the Coast Guard commander, the Admiral Linda Fagan, and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General James Slife, among others. The list includes a disproportionate number of women.

General David Allvin, chief of the Air Force Staff, announced last month that he would resign in November, after being invited to retire.

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