President Donald Trump plans to attend a surprise gathering of top generals and admirals this week, two sources familiar with the matter said, adding a new dynamic to a meeting that’s been described as a “pep rally” for top military brass.
The gathering, set for Tuesday in Virginia, was originally intended as a way for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to describe the administration’s reinvention of the Department of Defense as the “Department of War” and outline new standards for military personnel, according to half a dozen people familiar with the planning.
When Trump was first asked about the meeting last week, he appeared to know little about it. He suggested it was meant as a showcase for new weaponry.
Now, Trump plans to attend in person. It will come days after he ordered US forces into Portland to protect immigration officers in the Oregon city, and as he ratchets up his use of the military to combat what he calls domestic terrorism.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment on Trump’s plan to attend, which was first reported by The Washington Post.
As of Friday, there were no plans for Hegseth to make a major national security-related announcement as part of the meeting, sources said.
Instead, the event is meant “to be a show of force of what the new military now looks like under the president,” a White House official told CNN.
The idea for the meeting originated with Hegseth, who later let the White House know about the plans, sources said.
Several of the sources CNN spoke to on Friday expressed concerns about the cost of getting hundreds of generals and admirals and their aides to Virginia on such short notice. The cost of plane tickets alone will likely be in the millions of dollars, the sources said. They were even more baffled about why they needed to be there in person when they learned on Sunday that Hegseth’s remarks will be live streamed.
The meeting is expected to resemble “a pep rally” where Hegseth will underscore the importance of the “warrior ethos” and outline a new vision for the US military, said three of the sources. He is expected to discuss new readiness, fitness and grooming standards the officers are expected to adhere to and enforce.
Trump has long touted his push to strengthen the US military, including by increasing Pentagon spending.
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