Top US military brass to hold secretive meeting with Hegseth as Trump ramps up Russia criticism

The Pentagon is gathering hundreds of top U.S. military leaders for an unusual meeting - one that comes as President Donald Trump has ramped up his criticism of Russia and as the Pentagon gears up a new national defense strategy prioritizing homeland defense. 

Several War Department officials confirmed to Fox News that the Pentagon requested top military commanders to convene in Virginia for the meeting this week. However, the topic of the discussion remains unclear. 

The Pentagon confirmed the meeting but did not offer details.

HEGSETH ORDERS HUNDREDS OF MILITARY COMMANDERS TO VIRGINIA FOR UNPRECEDENTED MEETING

"The Secretary of War will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week," chief spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement last week. 

The unusual meeting would involve approximately 800 generals and admirals who are based all throughout the U.S. and stationed in various parts of the world. 

Those invited to the meeting say they've been told little, sources told Fox News Digital. Generals on Thursday exchanged messages from across the globe speculating on why the secretary might want to see them face-to-face.

The Washington Post first reported War Secretary Pete Hegseth's plans for the Thursday meeting. The Post also reported on Friday that Hegseth plans to discuss "warrior ethos" with the officers. 

Meanwhile, the meeting comes amid several key global and national security developments, including Trump leveling criticism and ire toward Russia amid its ongoing war with Ukraine. 

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For example, Trump voiced his frustration with Russia Tuesday and accused Moscow of "fighting aimlessly" and compared Russia to a "paper tiger," after he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in New York at the United Nations General Assembly. 

Additionally, he said that he believes Ukraine, with the backing of the European Union, could secure back all of its territory as the war between Russia and Ukraine persists.

"I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form. With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option," Trump said in a Tuesday social media post. "Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act."

In recent weeks, Russia has been testing the boundaries of NATO, seemingly daring members of the defensive alliance to respond. Russian drones have been found in Polish and Romanian airspace and three Russian jets carrying missiles flew over Estonia recently. 

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz promised the U.S. would defend "every inch" of NATO in his U.N. address and Trump mused that nations should shoot down Russian aircraft that traverse into their territory. 

Behind closed doors, U.S. officials worry the situation may escalate. 

"Almost all wars, if you look at them, they don't necessarily start with a big bang," one senior State Department official told Fox News Digital. "They start with an escalation, and then somebody feels they need to respond to this, and then you just get in a toxic spiral."

"The last thing we want is to have NATO get drawn into a war with Russia."

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The meeting also comes as administration officials are assembling a new National Defense Strategy that identifies homeland defense as the top priority - in alignment with Trump's "America First" agenda. Previously, the National Defense Strategy has identified countering threats from China as its top focus. 

Likewise, the meeting comes as the Pentagon has eyes on slimming down its top officers. Hegseth previously unveiled plans in May to trim down 20% of four-star generals and admirals, along with an additional 10% reduction in general and flag officers across the military. 

Fox News' Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.