While the Government drives on the edge of a closure, President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegesh go to an auditorium full of several hundred most experienced military commanders in the nation convened to the last minutes around the world.
The event is being produced at a base of the Marines body in Quantico, Virginia, a safe site one hour south of the capital of the nation. Hegseth initiated the event with a speech about the importance of “warrior spirit”, a term used to describe the spirit that makes combat units effective.
“We must be prepared,” he said. “Or we are ready to win or we are not.”
“This speech today is people and it is culture,” he said, asking for “the right culture in the war department.”
He did not demand more “fat generals”, saying that all members of the service would need to comply with physical conditioning tests and toilet standards. “No more Beardos,” he said. “The era of unacceptable appearance is over.”
It was expected that Hegseth, who now performs the title of “Secretary of War” as part of a broader brand change ordered by Trump, touched on the importance of enforcing the combat standards that keep lethal troops, as well as the new standards of reference to the standards for preparation that include requirements for troops to remain attractive.
Trump was following Hegesh with his own speech before liberating the military general and the flag officers to return to his service stations after the one -hour event.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth talks to high -level military leaders at the base of Marines Quantico, on September 30, 2025 in Quantico, Virginia.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Last week, the general and flag officers were told at the level of a star and above that they would fly to Quantico from their service stations with only several days of prior notice and without indications of what the meeting could be discussed. The Pentagon declined to comment on the meeting, and the speculation quickly spread that the meeting could have to do with urgent cuts to the military force or the national defense strategy, which would establish new priorities for the second Trump administration and could change the way the troops are trained and equip themselves.
In the end, however, the sources said that the meeting appeared, at least from now on, to be more a speech to “gather the troops” similar to what Hegseth frequently gives in public places and in Fox News interviews. But their comments, which will be broadcast live to the public, will also provide a main photo opportunity with Hegesh addressing hundreds of main military generals such as their boss.
On Sunday, the program received an unexpected jolt when the White House announced that Trump would join Hegesh in Quantico. The White House has not said when or how the president learned of the HEGSETH meeting or why he wanted to participate. Attendees have not said what Trump’s comments will focus on.
The Department of Defense, which now copes for Trump and Hegseth as the “War Department”, has not said how much it will cost to fly in so many people at the last minute, although several hundred thousand dollars are expected to cost.
Nor is it clear exactly how many people were invited. In general, there are 838 total general and admiral officers in active duty, 446 of them are the highest ranges of two stars, three stars and four stars, according to the latest statistics of the June Pentagon.
The event occurs when the government is becoming a possible closure that could force some 2 million troops to work without paying if an expense bill does not approve of Congress at midnight on Wednesday.
The majority of military personnel are on their way to being paid on October 1, authorities said on Monday. But after that, the troops would be at the mercy of the negotiations in Capitol Hill, which remain at a dead point.
According to a contingency plan published by the Pentagon this weekend, all active service troops should continue working. The Plan says that contracts can also advance, but under greater scrutiny with priority given to efforts to ensure the southern border of the United States and build the American missile shield of Trump known as “Golden Dome”, as well as operations in the Middle East and naval construction.
It has been speculated that commanders traveling from all over the world to listen to Trump and Hegseth speak on Tuesday could be trapped in their workplaces assigned if the government closes that night. But according to the Government Guide, the staff must return home as soon as possible if a closure occurs while a work trip is made. Any travel cost incurred after the closure is reimbursable once the expense resumes.
