Pentagon to convene unprecedented gathering of senior U.S. military commanders in Virginia

The Pentagon will convene an unprecedented meeting of hundreds of senior U.S. military commanders in Virginia next week, according to multiple War Department officials. The department confirmed the gathering but did not offer details on its topic or agenda. A Pentagon spokesman said the secretary of defense will address his senior leaders early next week.

The gathering is unusually large for a forum that would normally be conducted via secure video teleconference, with roughly 800 generals and admirals spread across the United States and overseas. The plan, first reported by The Washington Post and corroborated by Fox News, applies to officers at the rank of brigadier general or above or their Navy equivalents, and to their most senior enlisted advisers. In May, the secretary proposed cutting roughly 100 generals and admirals, with a minimum 20% cut to four-star officers. He later described an additional 10% reduction across general and flag officers. Officials have described the effort as part of a shift toward a leaner leadership structure under the banner of less generals, more GIs.

Officials described the meeting as part of a broader push tied to a new national defense strategy that prioritizes homeland defense while reviewing a global force posture that could alter where U.S. troops are based. The strategy is expected to guide decisions about force posture, basing and the balance between domestic security and overseas commitments, with the aim of aligning military posture with evolving security priorities.

There are currently about 44 four-star and flag officers in the U.S. military, according to defense officials, producing a ratio that some argue is too favorable to a small set of senior leaders compared with total troop strength. The secretary has cited historical contrasts, noting that World War II featured a broader distribution of responsibility across larger formations. Officials emphasize that any reductions would target leadership depth rather than capabilities, and would be implemented with care to preserve readiness and mission effectiveness.

The gathering is not routine and marks a departure from how top officers typically coordinate detailed plans. The timing coincides with ongoing work on a defense posture update that could influence future troop movements and base alignments, including considerations of homeland defense priority versus a broader forward presence. Public briefings are expected to focus on process and policy direction rather than operational schedules. This is a developing story, and updates will follow as more information becomes available.