Trump Denies Musk's China Briefing

President Donald Trump and top administration officials have refuted reports that Tesla CEO Elon Musk received a briefing on the Pentagon's potential war plans with China during his visit to the Pentagon on Friday. Trump told reporters that Musk's meeting was focused on DOGE, efficiencies, and innovations, and not on China.

According to The New York Times, Musk was scheduled to receive a briefing on the U.S. military's potential plans for war against China in the event of a future conflict, citing two U.S. officials. However, three defense officials told NBC News that while China was one of the topics discussed, the meeting did not involve potential war plans.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth dismissed The New York Times article as a "fake story" aimed at undermining the Pentagon's relationship with Musk. Hegseth described the meeting as an "informal conversation" about innovation, efficiencies, and smarter production.

Trump also slammed The New York Times on Truth Social, calling the story "completely untrue" and "fake news." Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell echoed this sentiment, labeling the story "100% Fake News" and "brazenly & maliciously wrong" on X.

The denial comes amidst speculation about the nature of Musk's meeting at the Pentagon. The Tesla CEO's visit was initially reported to be focused on his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, but the reports of a potential briefing on China war plans sparked widespread interest.