US Defense Secretary Rarely Summons Hundreds of Generals; Mysterious Military Conference Sparks Public Opinion Storm

　　On September 25 local time, CCTV reporters learned that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered hundreds of US military generals to urgently assemble at a Marine Corps base in Virginia next week, without stating the reason.

　　Informed sources revealed that this "highly unusual directive" was issued to almost all senior commanders of US forces stationed around the world. According to Pentagon data, as of June, there were a total of 838 active-duty generals, but the exact number summoned by Hegseth this time remains unclear.

　　It is worth noting that this already anomalous meeting is shrouded in mystery and suspense, with even attendees unaware of the agenda. There are concerns that having a large number of senior officers away from their command posts simultaneously could increase the risks to ongoing operations and weaken the ability to respond to sudden attacks.

　　In May of this year, Hegseth proposed a 20% reduction in the number of four-star officers and at least a 20% cut in the number of generals in the National Guard. He explained, "Increasing the number of generals and admirals does not lead to more success."

　　Michael O'Hanlon, Director of Foreign Policy Research at the Brookings Institution in the US, criticized the summoning of so many senior officers as "jeopardizing normal command and control capabilities." He also described the meeting as "looking more like a performance."

　　Former Pentagon official Mark Cancian pointed out that although combatant commanders come to Washington twice a year, this meeting is "highly unusual": its scale, limited preparation time, and lack of a clear agenda make it "unprecedented."