A flurry of news reports and official statements emerged surrounding tech billionaire Elon Musk’s visit to the Pentagon, sparking speculation and subsequent denials about the nature of the briefing he received.
Initial reports suggested that Musk, a key adviser to President Donald Trump, was scheduled to be briefed on potential U.S. military plans regarding a war with China.
However, both Trump and Pentagon officials have firmly refuted these claims, asserting that the meeting focused on entirely different matters.
The controversy began when The New York Times reported that Musk’s Pentagon visit on Friday included a discussion of contingency plans for a potential conflict with China, citing two U.S. officials.
The article suggested that the briefing was part of a broader engagement with the Defense Department, given Musk’s growing influence in Trump’s administration.
This claim quickly gained traction, raising eyebrows due to Musk’s prominent role as a private citizen and his extensive business interests in China through Tesla and SpaceX.
However, President Trump swiftly took to his Truth Social platform late Thursday night to dismiss the story.
In a post, he called The New York Times report “incorrect” and “ridiculous,” insisting that Musk’s visit was centered on his work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a new initiative Musk has been tasked with overseeing.
Trump emphasized that Musk’s business ties to China made any briefing on a potential war with the country highly unlikely, stating, “Elon’s got too much at stake there—why would we do that?”
Pentagon officials echoed Trump’s denial. According to NBC News, three defense officials confirmed that Musk was indeed scheduled for a briefing at the Pentagon on Friday.
While China was expected to be one of the topics discussed, they clarified that no detailed war plans were shared.
Following Musk’s visit, which began shortly before 9 a.m. ET and lasted just over an hour, the Defense Department issued a statement reinforcing that the meeting aligned with Musk’s DOGE responsibilities and did not involve sensitive military strategy.
Musk himself addressed reporters briefly after the meeting, accompanied by Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth.
When asked about the briefing, Musk offered a lighthearted response: “It’s always a great meeting.
I’ve been here before, you know.” He declined to elaborate further, leaving the specifics of the discussion unclear but notably avoiding any mention of China or war plans.
Additional coverage from The Daily Mail highlighted Trump’s denial, noting his frustration with the media’s portrayal of the event.
The outlet reported that the president’s rebuttal was supported by Hegseth, who also dismissed the idea of Musk receiving a classified briefing on China as “complete nonsense.”
Posts on X further reflected skepticism among users, with some pointing to Musk’s business interests in China as a logical reason why such a briefing would be improbable.
The conflicting narratives underscore a broader tension between initial media speculation and official clarifications.
While The New York Times stood by its reporting, the lack of concrete evidence beyond anonymous sources has fueled debate about the accuracy of the original claim.
For now, Trump, Pentagon officials, and Musk appear united in their stance that no China war plan briefing took place, leaving the public to parse through the competing accounts.
