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US President Donald Trump has denied a report by The New York Times claiming that his close ally, billionaire Elon Musk, was scheduled to receive a briefing from the Pentagon regarding the military’s plans in the event of a conflict with China, Reuters reported.
Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, on Thursday, asserting, “China will not even be mentioned or discussed” in the meeting.
“The Fake News is at it again, this time the Failing New York Times. They said, incorrectly, that Elon Musk is going to the Pentagon tomorrow to be briefed on any potential “war with China.” How ridiculous?” China will not even be mentioned or discussed. How disgraceful it is that the discredited media can make up such lies. Anyway, the story is completely untrue!!!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
The Pentagon’s top spokesperson Pete Hegseth also clarified on X that the briefing would focus on “innovation, efficiencies & smarter production,” rather than military strategy in relation to China.
Meanwhile, a US official told CNN that the briefing for Musk was expected to include senior US military officials and cover a range of topics, including China.
According to the New York Times report, which cited two unnamed US officials, the briefing would feature a series of 20 to 30 slides outlining how the US might handle a potential conflict with China, inncluding “various options on what Chinese targets to hit, over what time period.”
The proposed briefing would have marked a significant expansion of Musk’s involvement with the US government, highlighting his influential role as a Trump adviser.
Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has been vocal about cutting US government spending. However, his business interests in China, alongside his Pentagon connections, have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, reports suggest.
Musk’s business dealings in China have long been a point of scrutiny, especially given his major business interests with Tesla in the region and SpaceX’s government contracts, Reuters reported.
According to a CNN report, Musk maintains lucrative contracts with the US Defense Department, and in October 2024, the US Space Force awarded USD 733 million in launch contracts to SpaceX.
Critics have voiced concerns about how Musk’s involvement in both the tech industry and national security might create potential ethical dilemmas. The White House previously stated that Musk would recuse himself from decisions involving conflicts between his business dealings and his role in government spending.
Relations between the US and China have remained tense for several years, with disputes spanning a wide range of issues, including trade tariffs, cybersecurity, technology access, and human rights matters.
