U.S. President Donald Trump has dismissed a report by The New York Times claiming that billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk was set to receive a classified Pentagon briefing regarding a potential military conflict with China.
In a statement posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Thursday, Trump categorically denied the allegations, stating, “China will not even be mentioned or discussed.”
The controversy emerged following a report suggesting that the Pentagon planned to brief Musk, a key Trump ally, on the United States' strategic preparations in the event of a conflict with China. The newspaper cited two unidentified U.S. officials who claimed that the meeting would include 20 to 30 slides outlining potential military actions.
While Trump has refuted the claims, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the meeting’s agenda was focused on “innovation, efficiencies & smarter production.”
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that Musk would be briefed on multiple topics at the Pentagon, including China. However, the nature and extent of the discussions remain unclear.
Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has played a significant role in advising Trump on reducing government spending. His alleged involvement in high-level military discussions has raised concerns over potential conflicts of interest, given Tesla’s business ties in China and SpaceX’s contracts with the U.S. government.
The White House has previously stated that Musk would recuse himself from discussions where conflicts of interest might arise between his business ventures and his advisory role in government cost-cutting measures.
Relations between Washington and Beijing have been fraught in recent years, with tensions stemming from trade disputes, technology access, cybersecurity concerns, and geopolitical issues surrounding Taiwan and Hong Kong.
The latest report adds another layer of scrutiny to the complex dynamics between the two superpowers.
Officials have yet to provide further details on Musk’s role in the Pentagon meeting or whether classified military plans will be disclosed.
