Hundreds of U.S. generals and admirals around the globe have been abruptly summoned to Virginia next Tuesday for a meeting with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, though the purpose remains a mystery.

The order has sparked confusion and concern, particularly after the Trump administration fired numerous senior military leaders earlier this year.

The Washington Post, which first reported the news, says the directive was sent to nearly all of the military’s top commanders worldwide. The timing—amid a looming government shutdown—and Hegseth’s increasingly political maneuvers have raised alarms that the Defense Department’s long-standing nonpartisan norms could be under strain.

The meeting is expected to take place at the military installation in Quantico, Virginia, according to the Post and CNN, which spoke to officials familiar with the plans. Yet the generals and flag officers themselves reportedly don’t know the agenda.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed to the Post that Hegseth will be “addressing his senior military leaders early next week.” Beyond that, details are scarce.

“It’s being referred to as the general squid games,” one official joked to CNN, likely referring to Netflix’s “Squid Game” show, which depicts characters risking their lives to win money.

Speculation is rampant. A source told CNN that guesses range from a group fitness test to a general briefing on the Defense Department, or even a mass firing. Whatever the reason, convening this many senior officers at once is highly unusual.

It’s unclear whether the White House is involved or if President Donald Trump plans to attend. A congressional aide told CNN that unless Hegseth plans to announce “a major new military campaign or a complete overhaul of the military command structure, I can’t imagine a good reason for this.”

There are roughly 800 generals and admirals stationed across the U.S. and dozens of other countries. According to people familiar with the meeting, Hegseth’s order applies to all officers with the rank of brigadier general or higher—or their Navy equivalents—in command roles, along with their top enlisted advisers.

The gathering follows a series of high-profile firings under Hegseth. Earlier this year, he ordered cuts of at least 20% of four-star generals and admirals, and has targeted senior officers over diversity-related issues.

Hegseth has also devoted considerable effort to reshaping the military’s culture. He has pushed to restore monuments to Confederate generals and rename bases that once honored Confederate leaders. Earlier this week, he disbanded the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services.

The defense secretary previously criticized what he saw as the politicization of the military’s senior leadership. On a podcast last summer, Hegseth said a third of top officers are “actively complicit” in politicizing the military. On another, he accused them of “playing by all the wrong rules” to appease “ideologues in Washington, D.C.”

Whatever the reason for next week’s gathering, the stakes feel high. Hundreds of the military’s top leaders—across continents and time zones—will be in one place, and no one seems to know why. The mystery has military insiders talking … and holding their breath.

Reprinted with permission from Daily Kos