Musk’s Pentagon Visit Sparks Controversy Over Ethics and National Security

Elon Musk is set to visit the Pentagon on Friday, but top U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump, have firmly denied reports that he will be briefed on a potential war plan against China.

Controversy over Musk’s role

Musk’s visit comes amid concerns about his dual role as a senior adviser to the president while his companies, including SpaceX, hold lucrative government contracts. Critics argue that this could create conflicts of interest, particularly with SpaceX’s deals with the Pentagon and NASA.

A report by The Wall Street Journal claimed that a potential war plan with China "will be one of several topics" discussed at the meeting. The report raised concerns that Musk’s business interests—particularly Tesla’s reliance on China for production—could give him access to sensitive military intelligence unavailable to other companies.

Officials deny war plan briefing

The controversy escalated after The New York Times reported on Thursday that U.S. officials planned to brief Musk on military strategies in the event of a conflict with China. The claim was quickly dismissed by Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell, who posted on X that the report was “brazenly & maliciously wrong.”

Parnell also defended Musk, calling him “a patriot” and adding that the Pentagon is “proud to have him” visit.

President Trump also weighed in on Truth Social, slamming the NYT report as “Fake News” and “ridiculous.” He added, “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!!!”

What the Pentagon says about the meeting

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed Musk’s visit but emphasized that the discussion would focus on innovation and efficiency in defense production. “It will not be a meeting about ‘top secret China war plans,’” Hegseth posted on X late Thursday.

Musk has not publicly commented on the visit, but his growing involvement with the administration—both as a businessman and adviser—continues to spark debate in Washington.