Trump cancels secret Pentagon meeting with Elon Musk over China concerns
Trump reportedly shut down a high-level Pentagon briefing meant for Elon Musk, raising questions about national security, loyalty, and leaks at the top.
A top-secret meeting meant to inform Elon Musk about potential U.S. war plans with China was abruptly canceled by former President Donald Trump, after news of it leaked to the press — and Trump was furious.
According to a report from Axios, the Pentagon had planned a private meeting with Elon Musk to discuss U.S. military strategy in the event of conflict with China. Musk, as the head of SpaceX — a major defense contractor — had been invited despite not having a security clearance for such high-level information.
The meeting was to include Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other top officials. However, once The New York Times exposed the meeting’s existence on March 20, everything changed.
Trump, who was reportedly caught off guard by the leak, exploded behind closed doors. Axios reports that he yelled to staff, “What the fk is Elon doing there? Make sure he doesn’t go.”**
China ties caused red flags in Trump’s camp
Musk’s close business ties with China — particularly through Tesla — have long made some U.S. officials uneasy. While Musk is a major player in America’s defense efforts, his connections to Chinese manufacturing and markets present potential risks.
One anonymous official told Axios: “POTUS still very much loves Elon, but there are some red lines.”
Those “red lines” include sensitive war briefings. Even though Musk has major defense contracts, Trump reportedly saw the China connection as too risky for this particular situation.
Once the story went public, Trump tried to downplay the situation on his Truth Social platform. He called the report “fake news” and claimed “the story is completely untrue.”
But according to Axios, the cancellation had already happened by the time of Trump’s post. In reality, Trump had pulled the plug himself — not out of dislike for Musk, but out of fear that the leak had exposed a dangerous overlap between business and national security.
Musk still arrived at the Pentagon the next day but received only a toned-down version of the original meeting. China was not discussed at all.
Musk strikes back on X
Elon Musk responded to the drama by calling out Pentagon leakers on X (formerly Twitter). He posted:
“I look forward to the prosecutions of those at the Pentagon who are leaking maliciously false information to NYT. They will be found.”
Following the uproar, Defense Secretary Hegseth suspended two Pentagon officials, Dan Caldwell and Darin Selnick. Politico reported that Selnick was even escorted out of the building as part of an ongoing leak investigation.
This isn’t the only leak being looked into — Pentagon officials are also probing the release of sensitive information about military actions in the Red Sea, Panama Canal, and Ukraine.
This story shows the tricky relationship between power, loyalty, and national security. Elon Musk may be the world’s richest man and a key partner to the U.S. military — but his global business dealings, especially in China, have sparked deep concerns at the highest level.
Trump’s dramatic reaction is another reminder that even trusted allies have limits — especially when the stakes involve global war strategy.
As the investigations continue, one big question remains: Should billionaires like Elon Musk be allowed into the room where America’s most sensitive war plans are discussed?
