Technology billionaire Elon Musk is scheduled to visit Pentagon on Friday and attend a meeting of joint staff chiefs who will touch China, among others, two US officials confirmed to ABC News – but the plan changed after the New York Times reported that Musk would be given a briefing about Chinese Chinese potential plans.
Musk visited Pentagon on Friday – but instead of meeting with the joint heads, Musk met with Defense Minister Pete Hegseth and staff, said a US official.
The meeting between the Musk and the head of the joint will be at an unlassed level and attended virtually by Admiral Sam Paparo, the Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, an official said. But some time between publications New York Times Story On Thursday and Musk’s visit to Pentagon Friday morning, the visit was a meeting with Hegseth.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth welcomed Elon Musk to Pentagon, in Washington, March 21, 2025.
US Air Force Senior Aviation Madelyn Keech/Dod
The New York Times reported that Musk would receive a briefing from senior military leaders about secret military plans for potential war with China. The publication said the meeting was canceled because of the initial report.
Musk, Hegseth and President Donald Trump denied the report – with Trump stated that Musk would not be given a briefing about the war plan with China.
“I don’t want to show it to anyone. But of course, you will not show it to a businessman who really helps us. He is a great patriot … but I certainly don’t want to know, Elon has a business in China, and he might be vulnerable to it. But that is a fake story,” Trump told reporters at the oval office on Friday.
Defense Minister Pete Hegseth spoke next to President Donald Trump, at the oval office in the White House, in Washington, March 21, 2025.
Carlos Barria/Reuters
Hegseth said Musk was in the Pentagon to talk about the MUSK government efficiency department.
“There is no war plan. There is no Chinese war plan. There is no secret plan. That’s not what we did at Pentagon,” Hegseth said.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Elon Musk in Pentagon, in Washington, March 21, 2025.
Senior Spencer Perkins/Dod pilot
Musk arrived at the Pentagon exactly before 9 am and stayed at the Hegseth office during his visit.
The joint chief of staff meeting did take place according to schedule, but Paparo did not join the meeting as scheduled before. One of the officials said that the meeting of the joint chief of staff in the conference room known as the “tank” lasted for about two hours.
Musk left Pentagon at 10:21 – about 20 minutes after emerged that the meeting in the tank really took place.
When Musk departed from the Hegseth office on Friday, he was asked by reporters how the meeting was and answered that “it was always a great meeting.”
“I’ve been here before, you know,” added Musk when he and Hegseth walked together. Musk did visit Pentagon in 2016 to meet with the Secretary of Defense at that time Ash Carter.
Elon Musk and Defense Minister Pete Hegseth shook hands at Pentagon in Washington, March 21, 2025.
Idrees Ali/Reuters
When they were outside the Pentagon, Hegseth and Musk shake hands and Musk were above their heads to say, “If there is anything I can do to help, I want to see you.”
No one responded to the question at that time about whether they had discussed China or if it was a secret direction.
Hegseth previously posted on X that the meeting was not about “Chinese War Plans,” but rather described it as “Informal Meeting on Innovation, Efficiency & smarter production. “
Elon Musk and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at Pentagon in Washington, March 21, 2025.
Idrees Ali/Reuters
Trump posted on his conservative social media platform that China would not be mentioned or discussed during the meeting.
Musk goes further by suggesting that there must be a prosecution of anyone in Pentagon who might have leaked information.
“They will be found,” Musk wrote on X.
ABC News’ Justin Gomez and Chris Boccia contributed to this report.