‘General Squid Games’: Pete Hegseth summons military top brass — triggers anxiety in DC

Pete Hegseth (AP)

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has abruptly summoned hundreds of America’s top military commanders to a sudden meeting at the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia, next Tuesday, sparking unease inside the Pentagon and across the armed forces. According to officials who spoke to CNN and the New York Times, the gathering will include generals and admirals of one-star rank or higher, along with their senior advisers, flown in from across the United States and overseas. No explanation has been offered for the mass directive, which some insiders are already referring to as “the general squid games.”The Pentagon confirmed the meeting but declined to provide details. Chief spokesman Sean Parnell said only that Hegseth would be “addressing his senior military leaders early next week.” The Washington Post first reported on the order, which has been filtering through commands and caused what the New York Times described as “anxiety and concern” in the ranks.CNN reported that officials remain in the dark about the purpose, with theories ranging from a sweeping review of the Defence Department to mass firings. One congressional aide told the network, “Unless Hegseth planned to announce a major new military campaign or a complete overhaul of the military command structure, I can’t imagine a good reason for this.” Other officials voiced unease about concentrating so many senior leaders in one location, raising security concerns.The backdrop to the meeting is a period of turmoil under the Trump administration. Hegseth has led a drive to cut the number of four-star officers by at least 20% and overseen the removal of several high-profile figures, including former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. CQ Brown, Adm. Lisa Franchetti, and Gen. James Slife. CNN noted that some firings were tied to Hegseth’s campaign against diversity initiatives, while others were left unexplained.President Donald Trump, asked about the gathering on Thursday, downplayed speculation. “Isn’t it nice that people are coming from all over the world to meet?” he said, adding that the event would partly focus on reviewing military equipment. “We have the greatest equipment in the world. A lot of generals want to be here. They’re also going to be touring equipment sites. They’re going to be talking about the newest weapons.”