Trump says Musk wasn’t briefed on China war plan in Pentagon meeting
CNN
President Donald Trump pushed back on reports that DOGE head Elon Musk was being briefed on US military plans for a potential war with China while at the Pentagon on Friday, saying he wouldn’t want show such plans “to anybody.”
President Donald Trump pushed back on reports that DOGE head Elon Musk was being briefed on US military plans for a potential war with China while at the Pentagon on Friday, saying he wouldn’t want show such plans “to anybody.” “I don’t want to show it to anybody. You know you’re talking about a potential war with China,” Trump said in remarks from the Oval Office. “We don’t want to have a potential war with China, but I can tell you, if we did, we’re very well equipped to handle it.” Trump’s comments came amid speculation over why Musk was at the Pentagon on Friday morning, where he met with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for over an hour. The New York Times reported Thursday that Musk was receiving a briefing on the US military’s plan for potential conflict with China. Pentagon officials resoundingly dismissed the reporting on social media on Thursday. CNN has reported that Musk — who is serving as a special government employee under Trump — has a top-secret security clearance. The meeting also comes as the Pentagon is weighing significant cuts to the top of the military amid efforts across the Trump administration to shrink the government. Hegseth has said the Defense Department would be working with Musk’s DOGE to find fraud and waste within the department. Musk maintains lucrative contracts with the Defense Department. In October 2024, the US Space Force awarded $733 million in launch contracts to Musk’s SpaceX.
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