Trump Shuts Down Secret China War Briefing for Musk

Donald Trump personally halted a top-secret Pentagon meeting meant to brief Elon Musk on U.S. military plans in case of war with China. The reason? A leak to The New York Times exposed the confidential session, sparking a storm inside the White House.

NYT Leak Sparks Immediate Backlash

According to Axios, the briefing was abruptly canceled after The Times revealed its existence on March 20. The disclosure triggered outrage, especially from Trump. Furious behind closed doors, he reportedly snapped,
“What the fk is Elon doing there? Make sure he doesn’t go.”**

Why Musk Was Invited

Musk was originally scheduled to meet with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and top Pentagon officials. The session would’ve included highly sensitive war scenarios involving China. Despite Musk’s critical role through SpaceX, his deep business ties to China via Tesla raised serious concerns.

Financial Ties Raise Red Flags

While Musk serves as a major defense contractor, his ongoing investments and relationships in China worried officials. One White House source told Axios:
“POTUS still loves Elon, but there are red lines. His China business made this a no-go.”

Trump Says “Fake News”—After Pulling the Plug

After the leak, Trump denied the story on Truth Social, writing:
“They said, incorrectly, that Elon Musk is going to the Pentagon… The story is completely untrue!!!”
However, by that point, he had already canceled the meeting behind the scenes.

A Watered-Down Meeting

Despite the drama, Musk still visited the Pentagon. But the briefing was stripped of any China-related content. The conversation with Hegseth avoided the main topic altogether.

Pressed later by reporters, Trump hinted at his true concerns:
“Elon has businesses in China… He would be susceptible, perhaps, to that.”

Musk Strikes Back

Musk fired off a response on X (formerly Twitter):
“I look forward to the prosecutions of those at the Pentagon who are leaking maliciously false information to NYT. They will be found.”

Fallout Hits Pentagon

The leak investigation moved quickly. According to Reuters and Politico, Defense Secretary Hegseth suspended two senior officials—Dan Caldwell and Darin Selnick. Reports say Selnick was even escorted from the building.

Not the Only Leak

The Pentagon is now probing multiple breaches. These include plans concerning the Panama Canal, Red Sea missions, and intelligence operations in Ukraine.

What Comes Next?

This episode adds to the rocky, high-stakes relationship between Elon Musk and Donald Trump. Although Trump still claims to “love Elon,” even that affection has its limits—especially when national security is on the line.