Updated at 1543  EAT on Tuesday 30 September 2025

United States President Donald Trump is set to address a rare high-level assembly of senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, located just outside Washington, D.C.

The unprecedented gathering will bring together hundreds of generals, admirals, and senior commanders holding the rank of one-star and above, along with their top advisers. According to sources, the meeting was convened on short notice by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, drawing top military brass from across the globe.

The nature and agenda of the meeting remain undisclosed, but its scale and urgency have drawn attention both within and outside the Pentagon.

The gathering at Quantico comes at a time of heightened political tension in Washington, as the United States faces the prospect of a government shutdown. With a midnight deadline looming (04:00 GMT Wednesday), negotiations between Republicans and Democrats remain stalled, making a funding agreement increasingly unlikely.

The Republican-controlled Senate is expected to hold a second vote on a temporary spending bill, which previously failed to pass. However, there is little indication that the renewed effort will succeed in averting a shutdown.

Democrats have demanded key concessions in exchange for supporting a funding extension, including the continuation of healthcare subsidies and the reversal of Republican-led cuts to social programs such as Medicaid, which provides healthcare assistance to low-income Americans.

In anticipation of a potential shutdown, federal agencies have released contingency plans outlining the closure of offices involved in scientific research, public services, and other operations not classified as “essential.” Thousands of government employees would be furloughed if Congress fails to reach a deal before the funding deadline at midnight.

The private sector has also begun to raise concerns. Major U.S. airlines warned that a shutdown could lead to flight delays due to staffing and operational disruptions, while the Department of Labor announced it would suspend the release of its monthly unemployment report—one of the most closely watched indicators of the nation’s economic health.

Today’s high-level meeting at Quantico comes just weeks after President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming the Department of Defense to the “Department of War” in all executive branch communications.

Speaking at the signing ceremony on September 5, Trump described the move as part of a broader effort to eliminate what he called “woke” ideology within the military and to usher in “a new age of victory.”

“For too long, our military has been held back by political correctness,” Trump said. “This change marks a return to strength, clarity, and purpose.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host and longtime Trump ally, praised the name change, saying it reflected a renewed focus on battlefield dominance.

“We’re going to go on offense, not just defense. Maximum lethality, not tepid legality. Violent effect, not politically correct,” Hegseth declared during the ceremony. “This is about restoring the warrior ethos.”

According to administration officials, the term “Department of War” will now be used in all White House correspondence and public statements. However, a permanent change to the department’s legal name would require congressional approval. Trump said he intends to push Congress to formally codify the change into law.

The symbolic renaming has been widely interpreted as a reflection of the administration’s increasingly aggressive foreign policy stance. Since returning to office for a second term in January, Trump has authorized a series of controversial military actions, including bombing campaigns in Yemen and Iran.

Additionally, he has ordered aerial strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels in international waters of the Caribbean Sea. Legal experts have raised concerns about the basis for such operations, warning that they risk endangering civilians, including fishermen and migrants.

The “Department of War” renaming is the latest in a series of symbolic reversals under Trump. He has also rescinded previous efforts to rename U.S. military bases that once honored Confederate figures—moves that had been made in the wake of racial justice protests during his first term.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth are scheduled to address hundreds of senior military officers in person at a military base in Virginia, according to a report by Al Jazeera.

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