QUANTICO, Va. – President Donald Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth appeared before more than 800 generals, admirals, and senior enlisted leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico on Tuesday, underscoring what they called a return to a “warrior ethos” in the armed forces.
The high-profile summit, which ran from 4 a.m. to noon, was accompanied by heavy security, including road closures, base checkpoints, and delays for commuters along U.S. Route 1. Prince William County Police urged drivers to plan alternative routes, and OmniRide warned riders of disruptions to microtransit and paratransit services in the Town of Quantico. The base operated under Code Blue, restricting access to essential personnel only.
Hegseth used his speech to announce 10 directives he said would restore strict standards across the ranks, including male-level combat requirements, twice-a-year fitness testing, daily physical training, and grooming rules banning beards and long hair. “No more beardos,” he told the crowd. He also promised merit-only promotions and an end to diversity programs he argued had weakened readiness. Trump backed the moves, saying the U.S. military must be “the most lethal and prepared force on the planet.”
The gathering has drawn scrutiny from Capitol Hill. Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) blasted the event in a statement, calling it “an incredible security risk and waste of taxpayer dollars.” Kaine said, “Ordering America’s best military leaders to leave their duty stations at the same time to fly from all around the world to gather in one room to listen to highly partisan speeches is an incredible security risk and waste of taxpayer dollars.
Congressman Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va., 10) and Congressman Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, sent a letter to Hegseth calling the summit a potential national security risk and a waste of taxpayer resources. They requested detailed costs, an explanation of operational risks, and an explanation for why the meeting could not have been conducted virtually. Responses are due by October 14.
Despite concerns from lawmakers and military observers about concentrating so many senior leaders in one location, Trump and Hegseth cast the event as a pivotal moment. “We are the War Department,” Hegseth said in closing. “Move out and draw fire.”
