Overview

• Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed that the defense secretary will address senior military leaders early next week but gave no agenda or purpose.
• The directive, issued this week, covers officers at brigadier general rank and above in command roles plus their top enlisted advisers, affecting roughly 800 leaders worldwide.
• Commanders in Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific, including those in conflict zones, were told to attend the Tuesday gathering at Marine Corps Base Quantico.
• Officials describe a highly unusual order that has upended schedules, raised security concerns about concentrating top leadership, and prompted confusion over what will be announced.
• The meeting comes after Hegseth’s push to cut senior ranks and a series of high-profile firings, with some officials saying the session could relate to a new strategy expected to emphasize homeland defense.