Donald Trump refutes NYT report claiming Elon Musk's Pentagon briefing on ‘top secret China war plans’

Trump refuted a NYT report claiming that Elon Musk will be briefed by the Pentagon on US military’s plan for a potential war against China.

Updated on: Mar 21, 2025, 10:48:45 IST

By HT News Desk

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President Donald Trump on Thursday refuted a New York Times report claiming that his adviser and DOGE chief Elon Musk will be briefed by the Pentagon on the US military’s plan for a potential war against China.

US President Donald Trump talks to the media next to Tesla CEO Elon Musk (REUTERS)

This comes after Defense chief Pete Hegseth confirmed that officials will discuss ‘innovation, efficiencies and smarter production’ with the tech billionaire on Friday.

"China will not even be mentioned or discussed," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Earlier in the day, The New York Times cited sources to report that Elon Musk would be briefed about the United States’s plans before they are presented to Trump. The report added that the alleged briefing would include 20 to 30 slides that lay out how the US would fight in a conflict with China.

Dismissing the report, Hegseth said on X: “We look forward to welcoming @elonmusk to the Pentagon tomorrow. But the fake news delivers again — this is NOT a meeting about “top secret China war plans.” It’s an informal meeting about innovation, efficiencies & smarter production. Gonna be great!”

President Trump said the NYT report is ‘ridiculous’. “China will not even be mentioned or discussed. How disgraceful it is that the discredited media can make up such lies. Anyway, the story is completely untrue!!!” he wrote

The report comes amid severe criticism of Musk’s role in the Trump administration.

Critics, particularly far-left Democrats, allege that the Tesla CEO has business interests in China and with the Pentagon. The White House has previously stated that the billionaire will recuse himself if any conflicts of interest arise.

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HT News Desk
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