Pete Hegseth’s gathering top military personnel for one ‘pointless’ reason - and people aren't happy

If you heard the news that US defense secretary Pete Hegseth had summoned all of the top US military leaders to a gathering in Virginia next week, you’d be forgiven for thinking something serious had happened or that something majorly important was the topic of discussion – pun not intended.

But, of course, we’re talking about Donald Trump’s administration, and rarely is his government ever serious.

So it turns out - according to CNN - this meeting will actually just be a “pep rally” in which Hegseth will talk about the “warrior ethos” – something the politician explored in his 2024 book The War on Warriors.

Yes, really.

A White House official told CNN that “it’s meant to be a show of force of what the new military now looks like under the president”.

Meanwhile ABC News reports that questions have been raised around security and costs for such an event, which two officials said could only last for half an hour.

People on social media have ridiculed and criticised the planned meeting, with Common Defense, a grassroots membership organization for “progressive veterans”, branding the situation “another slap in the face to those who serve and have served our country”:

“Could you imagine being a 4-star and getting lectured on military values by… Pete Hegseth,” asked another:

Ottowa professor Thomas Juneau tweeted: “Nothing says ‘warrior ethos’ like large, costly, and pointless meetings”:

But not only that, others were concerned about how the general public knows about such a sensitive meeting:

Former marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath added: “Telling the world that you are gathering all our high ranking military officers to one single location is really not that smart from a security perspective”:

Why not read…

• Trump's latest name change undermines a key campaign pledge
• Pete Hegseth called 'bats***' as he shares CNN report with seven words

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