Former U.S. President Donald Trump has fiercely denied reports that billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk was set to receive a top-secret military briefing on potential war strategies against China.
The reports, initially published by The New York Times, suggested that Musk—founder of SpaceX and Tesla—would be privy to highly classified U.S. military plans, sparking widespread concerns over his growing influence in Washington as an unelected advisor.
According to multiple outlets, including The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, the alleged briefing was to include discussions on maritime warfare tactics and strategic targeting in the event of a U.S.-China conflict.
But Trump, known for his long-standing feud with mainstream media, fired back on his Truth Social platform, branding the claims as “completely untrue.”
“China will not even be mentioned or discussed,” he wrote, adding, “The Fake News is the ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE… And Elon is NOT BEING BRIEFED ON ANYTHING CHINA BY THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR!!!”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth later confirmed Musk’s scheduled visit to the Pentagon but clarified that the meeting was “informal” and centered around military innovation and efficiency—not classified war plans.
Tensions between the U.S. and China have been escalating, with both nations imposing tariffs and sanctions on each other’s industries. Meanwhile, critics, particularly Democrats, have accused Trump of giving Musk undue influence in government affairs, despite the billionaire not undergoing formal security clearance.
Musk, for his part, dismissed The New York Times report as “pure propaganda” on his social media platform X, and downplayed the significance of the Pentagon visit.
“I’ve been to the Pentagon many times over many years. Not my first time in the building,” he wrote, adding to the ongoing swirl of speculation surrounding his role in Washington’s defense conversations.
