800 Military Commanders to Convene on the 30th; Purpose Remains Unclear
Possible Downgrade for U.S. Forces Korea; 20% Reduction in Generals?
Donald Trump, President of the United States, is scheduled to attend a meeting that will bring together more than 800 U.S. military commanders from around the world. President Trump described the purpose of this meeting as "unity." However, concerns have arisen after it was discovered that the ranks of officials such as the Commander of U.S. Forces Korea were listed one grade lower, leading to speculation that the U.S. Department of Defense may be preparing for organizational restructuring, including the dismissal or demotion of high-ranking generals.
According to foreign media outlets such as the Washington Post (WP) on the 28th (local time), Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of Defense, instructed all commanders at the rank of brigadier general (one-star) and above, both in the United States and abroad, to attend a meeting to be held on the 30th at the Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.
A meeting of military commanders of this scale, with more than 800 participants, is highly unusual. However, Secretary Hegseth and the Department of Defense have not disclosed the reason for the meeting, which, according to WP, has fueled confusion and anxiety within the military. CNN, citing six sources, reported that the event is intended for Secretary Hegseth to explain his plans to restructure the Department of Defense into a Department of War and to introduce new standards for military personnel. Earlier, on the 5th, President Trump changed the official name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War.
The fact that President Donald Trump himself will attend the meeting has led to various speculations about its purpose.
President Trump dismissed concerns in a phone interview with NBC News. He stated, "This is an opportunity to talk about how well we are doing militarily, how strong we are, and to share positive stories. Outstanding people are gathering, and that is 'unity.' That's all there is to it." In essence, it is intended as an encouraging speech.
According to sources, Secretary Hegseth plans to emphasize military standards and warrior spirit, as well as present a new vision.
This has led some to speculate that Secretary Hegseth convened the generals to announce large-scale dismissals or demotions on the 30th as part of an effort to reinforce military discipline.
WP, citing sources, reported that in the Department of Defense's internal directory, the ranks of four-star generals Xavier Brunson and Ronald Clark were listed as lieutenant generals (three-star). Brunson is the Commander of U.S. Forces Korea, and Clark is the Commander of U.S. Army Pacific. There are concerns that Secretary Hegseth may be considering downgrading the status of these two positions. However, Colonel Isaac Stern, spokesperson for Commander Clark, told WP that the listing as lieutenant general appeared to be an error and that it had been resolved.
However, the new National Defense Strategy (NDS), which the Department of Defense is about to release, reportedly prioritizes the defense of the U.S. mainland and the Western Hemisphere, rather than focusing on the Indo-Pacific region as in the past. This is seen as a deliberate move linked to the restructuring of the military command structure, including positions such as Commander of U.S. Forces Korea. In addition, Secretary Hegseth has argued that the military's focus on "political correctness" has weakened its combat readiness. In this context, he has dismissed dozens of Black and female generals without cause and has pledged to reduce the number of generals by 20 percent.
Meanwhile, there has been backlash against Secretary Hegseth, who has faced criticism for his lack of military experience since his appointment, for attempting to teach "warrior spirit" to senior generals who have served in the military for decades. There are also concerns that, with U.S. military commanders from around the world gathered in one place, any unexpected incident could result in a command vacuum.
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