President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
President Trump on Friday forcefully denied a report by The New York Times claiming that entrepreneur Elon Musk visited the Pentagon for a classified briefing on potential U.S. military plans involving a war with China.
According to the Times report, which cited two anonymous “U.S. officials,” Musk’s visit was to discuss “the U.S. military’s plan for any war that might break out with China” and was held in the Pentagon’s highly secure “Tank” meeting room. The story quickly gained traction online and was amplified by outlets like CNN and The Wall Street Journal.
But within hours, President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell pushed back hard, calling the report “false,” “libelous,” and a prime example of irresponsible journalism.
“Their FAKE concept for this story is that because Elon does some business in China, that he is very conflicted and would immediately go to top Chinese officials and ‘spill the beans,’” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “RATINGS CHALLENGED FAKE NEWS CNN immediately picked up on this absolutely ridiculous and false story, which is probably libelous.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth clarified the nature of Musk’s visit during a unveil of the new US Air Force F-47 fighter jet, stating that it had nothing to do with war planning and everything to do with improving U.S. defense production.
“It was an informal meeting about innovation, efficiencies, and smarter production in our defense systems,” Hegseth said. “Elon Musk has been advising the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on optimizing national security projects. There was no classified war briefing of any kind.”
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell also dismissed the NYT report, saying, “There was no war planning involving Elon Musk. This story is false and does a disservice to serious journalism.”
Musk himself took to X to slam the Times and hinted at legal consequences for those behind the story.
“The New York Times is pure propaganda,” Musk wrote. “I look forward to the prosecutions of those at the Pentagon who are leaking maliciously false information to NYT. They will be found.”
Elon Musk, X
The Times later updated its original article to include denials from Trump administration officials, but the correction did little to cool the controversy.
The controversy comes amid escalating tensions in the Asia-Pacific region. In December 2024, China conducted its largest naval drills since the 1990s, fueling speculation over Beijing’s intentions toward Taiwan, a key U.S. ally. These developments have prompted renewed U.S. focus on regional security, though officials have been careful not to stoke further conflict.
Still, the Trump administration emphasized that Musk’s role with the Pentagon is not operational but advisory — particularly with his contributions to AI development, space technology, and defense infrastructure through DOGE, which recently identified and cut $580 million in wasteful federal contracts.
The White House and Pentagon are now demanding greater accountability for what they describe as irresponsible leaks and media misrepresentation. Some officials hinted at possible internal reviews to identify the source of the alleged misinformation.
Meanwhile, the controversy has only amplified Trump’s ongoing criticism of mainstream media outlets like The New York Times, which he frequently accuses of manufacturing anti-administration narratives.
“They can’t stand that we’re rebuilding the military, cutting waste, and doing it faster and smarter than ever before,” Trump added Friday. “So they make up these ridiculous stories to try and distract the public.”
