A top-secret Pentagon meeting to brief Elon Musk on U.S. war plans with China was abruptly canceled—by direct order of Donald Trump.
According to Axios, the classified meeting was derailed after The New York Times leaked its existence on March 20, sparking internal backlash. Musk, invited despite lacking proper clearance, became the center of controversy.
Trump, enraged, reportedly told aides, “What the f**k is Elon doing there? Make sure he doesn’t go.”
Musk was scheduled to meet Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other officials to discuss potential military actions against China. But concerns over Musk’s deep financial ties to China via Tesla raised red flags, despite his role as a key U.S. defense contractor through SpaceX.
“POTUS still loves Elon,” one official told Axios, “but there are red lines.”
Trump publicly denied the story, calling it “fake news,” but had already shut the meeting down. Musk still showed up the next day for a scaled-back session where China wasn’t discussed.
Pressed later, Trump admitted: “Elon has businesses in China, and he would be susceptible.”
Musk hit back on X, demanding accountability: “I look forward to the prosecutions of those at the Pentagon who are leaking maliciously false information to NYT.”
The fallout was swift—Defense Secretary Hegseth suspended two officials, Dan Caldwell and Darin Selnick, amid the leak probe. Selnick was reportedly escorted out.
This is just one of several leaks under investigation, including those involving the Panama Canal, Red Sea, and Ukraine.
For now, the incident highlights the volatile dynamic between Musk and Trump—where admiration meets national security limits.