According to a New York Times report, the briefing would include 20 to 30 slides detailing how the United States would respond in a potential conflict with China.
U.S. President Donald Trump has denied a New York Times report claiming that his close ally, Elon Musk, was scheduled to receive a secret briefing from the Pentagon on Friday regarding U.S. military plans for a possible war with China.
On Truth Social on Thursday, Trump called the report “fake news” and insisted that China would not be a topic of discussion at the Pentagon meeting.
“The Fake News is at it again, this time from the failing New York Times. They falsely reported that Elon Musk is going to the Pentagon tomorrow to be briefed on a potential war with China. How 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!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday.
Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth also denied the claims, posting on X (formerly Twitter) that the meeting focused only on “innovation, efficiencies, and smarter production.”
However, a U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that senior military officials would brief Elon Musk on various issues, including China.
“The briefing for Musk will be attended by senior U.S. military officials at the Pentagon and will provide an overview of several different topics, including China,” the anonymous official stated.
According to the New York Times report, the briefing would include 20 to 30 slides outlining U.S. military strategies in the event of a conflict with China. The newspaper cited two unidentified U.S. officials.
Relations between Washington and Beijing remain tense due to issues such as trade tariffs, technology access, cybersecurity, Taiwan, and human rights.