What is Quantico, and where is it?Quantico is a Marine Corps base located some 60km (nearly 40 miles) south of Washington, DC, in the state of Virginia.It consists of nearly 24,000 hectares (59,000 acres) with about 21,000 hectares (52,000 acres), or 88 percent, forested.The base was established in 1917 and has been in use since.It calls itself “Crossroads of the Marine Corps” and is home to the US Marine Corps Combat Development Command.The base also houses the FBI Academy.What is happening today at Quantico?US President Donald Trump and Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth will address hundreds of senior military officers in person at a base in Virginia.The abruptly scheduled gathering of civilian leaders and top military brass takes place after the Pentagon suddenly asked military leaders from around the world to convene without publicly disclosing the reason.The news prompted speculation about the purpose of summoning such a large number of generals and admirals to one place, with many based in more than a dozen countries, including in the Middle East.Experts say that while such meetings are nothing new, the scale of the gathering, the haste with which it was called and the mystery surrounding it are particularly unusual.Trump’s address to top-ranking military officers later today will take place a few hours after the White House unveiled a 20-point proposal it said could bring an immediate halt to Israel’s war on Gaza.
The announcement came as the US president held talks with Israeli PM Netanyahu, who faces an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes, in Washington, DC.
Meeting follows rebranding of Department of DefenseToday’s meeting comes weeks after Trump signed an order changing the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War in all executive statements.
Trump said at a signing ceremony on September 5, the name change was part of a larger shift away from a “woke” ideology within the department, adding it would beckon in a new age of military victory.
For his part, Hegseth argued the name swap would help with “restoring the warrior ethos”. The former Fox presenter added: “We’re going to go on offence, not just on defence. Maximum lethality, not tepid legality. Violent effect, not politically correct.”
Administration officials said the name “Department of War” would be used in official White House correspondence and public statements. But a more permanent change would require Congress to pass new legislation. To that end, Trump added he would ask Congress to codify the name into law.
The new name has been widely interpreted as a reflection of a more aggressive foreign-policy posture under Trump. Since taking office for a second term in January, the Republican has overseen bombing campaigns in Yemen and Iran.
He has also ordered deadly aerial attacks on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the international waters of the Caribbean Sea. Experts say such strikes have scant legal basis and raise the risks of civilians, including fishermen and migrants, being targeted.
Trump has made several name changes since taking office, including undoing moves that saw military sites named after Confederate officials baptised with new monikers.
Meeting taking place as government shutdown nearsThe gathering at Quantico comes as the US is heading towards a government shutdown, with Republicans and Democrats appearing unlikely to reach a deal that would extend funding past a midnight deadline (04:00 GMT on Wednesday).
The Republican-controlled Senate is expected to vote on a temporary spending bill that has failed once already, with no sign that a second vote will bring success.
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Federal agencies, meanwhile, issued detailed plans that would close offices conducting scientific research, customer service and other activities not deemed “essential” and send thousands of workers home if Congress does not agree on a fix before funding expires at midnight.
Airlines warned that a shutdown could slow flights, while the Labor Department said it would not issue its monthly unemployment report, a closely watched barometer of economic health.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/9/30/live-trump-hegseth-to-meet-top-us-military-officers-at-quantico