CNN
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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.
Trump acknowledged Friday that Musk also has his own business interests in China, which could pose a conflict of interest if he was briefed on a potential war plan with the nation.
“I don’t want to show that to anybody – but certainly, you wouldn’t show it to a businessman who is helping us so much,” the president said. “You know, Elon has businesses in China, and he would be susceptible, perhaps, to that – but it was such a fake story.”
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.
Musk arrived at the Pentagon just before 9 a.m. for his meeting with Hegseth and other senior Pentagon leaders. Upon arrival he went upstairs towards Hegseth’s office, and did not emerge from the office for roughly an hour and 20 minutes. Photos of the meeting shared by the Pentagon showed Musk and Hegseth sitting at a table with six other individuals, including Hegseth’s chief of staff Joe Kasper.
Asked by CNN about the meeting as Musk and Hegseth exited Hegseth’s office, Musk responded, “It’s always a great meeting.”
“I’ve been here before, you know,” Musk quipped, as he and Hegseth laughed and began walking down the stairs. Neither Hegseth nor Musk answered shouted questions about whether they discussed China in their meeting or if it was a classified briefing.
Asked by the New York Times after Musk’s departure what the two discussed, Hegseth said, “Why would I tell you?”
Hegseth later characterized the meeting as “fantastic” while at the White House for the announcement of a new fighter aircraft.
“Elon Musk is a patriotic American and I appreciate him,” Hegseth said, without elaborating on what the two discussed.
