Overview
- More than 800 generals and admirals were ordered to Marine Corps Base Quantico on short notice for an unusually large gathering that officials used to broadcast new priorities.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared the Pentagon the Department of War, directed the removal of DEI programs, and railed against what he called years of ideological decay.
- Hegseth announced gender‑neutral combat fitness thresholds set at male levels, acknowledging the standards could exclude some women and unfit men from frontline roles.
- President Donald Trump attended, threatened to fire disliked generals on the spot, touted U.S. nuclear capabilities, and suggested using high-crime cities as military training grounds.
- Senior officers, including Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine, are reported as concerned that the emphasis on internal security and leadership purges could erode focus on China and overall readiness.