Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to Address Global Gathering of Senior U.S. Military Leaders, Trump Confirms

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will speak at a high-level meeting of U.S. military officers from around the world early next week, President Donald Trump confirmed on Thursday.

Calling the event “great,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he welcomed the unusual gathering, adding: “Let him be friendly with the generals and admirals from all over the world.”

Vice President JD Vance sought to downplay speculation, insisting the meeting was “not unusual at all” and criticizing media coverage for amplifying it.

The Pentagon has not disclosed the purpose of the gathering. Spokesman Sean Parnell said only that Hegseth would be addressing senior military leaders.

The development comes months after Hegseth ordered deep cuts to the number of general and flag officers in the U.S. military. It remains unclear if the upcoming meeting is linked to those reforms.

The Trump administration has overseen sweeping changes at the Pentagon this year, with several top commanders dismissed abruptly, often without explanation.