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Elon Musk visited the Pentagon on Friday morning, March 21, for briefings that ignited controversy after some US media outlets claimed he would receive an overview of US strategies in case of a conflict with China. President Donald Trump refuted these claims, asserting, “China will not even be mentioned or discussed.” He criticized the New York Times, stating, “They reported falsely that Elon Musk is visiting the Pentagon tomorrow to be briefed on a possible ‘war with China.’ How absurd! China won’t even come up. It’s shameful that discredited media can fabricate such lies. The story is entirely untrue!!!”
Musk demanded the prosecution of officials he accused of leaking “maliciously false information” to the New York Times, which broke the initial story. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also debunked the report, posting on X, “This is NOT a meeting about ‘top secret China war plans.’ It’s an informal discussion on innovation, efficiencies, and smarter production.”
President Trump remarked that war plans should not be shared with Musk due to his business ties. “Elon has businesses in China,” Trump noted. “That could make him vulnerable, perhaps.” Addressing concerns about Musk’s Pentagon visit and potential conflicts of interest, he added, “You wouldn’t share that with a businessman.”
“He’s there for DOGE, not China — and if you brought up China, I think he’d leave the room,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office later that morning when pressed about Musk’s meeting.
Tesla, Musk’s electric vehicle company, operates two facilities in Shanghai, China. Additionally, his companies Starlink and SpaceX hold contracts with the Defense Department.
“We hosted him at the Pentagon today to discuss DOGE, efficiencies, and innovations,” Hegseth told reporters at the Oval Office, following an announcement with Trump about a next-generation fighter jet. “It was a productive, casual conversation. The rest of that reporting is nonsense—no war plans, no Chinese war plans, no secret plans.”
Musk arrived at the Pentagon just before 9 a.m. ET, with his visit lasting slightly over an hour. When asked afterward how it went, he told reporters while walking with Hegseth, “It’s always a great meeting.” “I’ve been here before, you know,” Musk quipped, sharing a laugh with Hegseth.
Trump has lauded Musk as a patriot and praised him a number of times including in the joint Congress session.
