Elon Musk is scheduled to attend a briefing at the Pentagon on Friday, March 21, where he will be briefed on the U.S. military’s secret plans for a potential conflict with China, according to reports from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal on Thursday, March 20. The reports cited two U.S. officials, with one confirming the briefing would focus on China but providing no further details. A fourth official mentioned that Musk, an official advisor to former President Donald Trump, would be at the Pentagon on Friday but did not elaborate on the purpose of his visit.
One official told The Wall Street Journal that Musk was being briefed “because he asked for one.” Following the initial report, Sean Parnell, the chief Defense Department spokesman, stated, “The Defense Department is excited to welcome Elon Musk to the Pentagon on Friday. He was invited by Secretary [Pete] Hegseth and is just visiting.” A White House spokesman did not respond to The Times’ request for comment.
Pete Hegseth stated on X (formerly Twitter) that his meeting with Elon Musk at the Pentagon was to focus on “innovation, efficiencies & smarter production,” and that “top secret” plans would not be shared.
The Pentagon’s war plans are among the military’s most closely guarded secrets. Officials familiar with the plans for a potential conflict with China told The Times that the briefing includes 20 to 30 slides outlining how the U.S. would engage China’s military. Hegseth is expected to present the plans to Musk alongside Adm. Christopher W. Grady, the acting chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, head of the military’s Indo-Pacific Command. Hegseth reportedly received portions of the plan during briefings last week and on Wednesday, March 19.
The Times noted that it remains unclear why Musk, who is not part of the military chain of command, would need access to such sensitive information. His role as an advisor to Trump does not involve military matters related to China. The meeting could also raise questions about potential conflicts of interest, as Musk remains the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla while leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk, who has business interests in China, has previously commented on military acquisitions, suggesting in November that the Pentagon stop purchasing manned fighter jets from Lockheed Martin.
Musk did not publicly address the reports on X Thursday night. Instead, he posted about SpaceX, attacks on Tesla vehicles, and Trump’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education.
