U.S. President Donald Trump paid a potential war plan with China to the U.S. military plan on Friday in the Pentagon, saying billionaire Tesla Musk introduced the report to China’s military plan on Friday, saying he did not want to show anyone such plans.
“I don’t want to show anyone anyone. You know you’re talking about a potential war with China,” Trump said in his Oval Office.
“We don’t want to have a potential war with China, but I can tell you that if we do, we have enough ability to handle it.”
Trump met Musk at the Pentagon on Friday morning, March 21 and said more than an hour of remarks.
The New York Times reported on Thursday that it was “false” in a report that Musk was receiving briefings on potential conflict plans for the U.S. military with China. Pentagon officials denied the report with certainty.
Trump acknowledged that Musk also has his own business interests in China, and that if a potential war plan is formulated for the country, it may constitute a conflict of interest.
“I don’t want to show that to anyone – but of course, you won’t show it to the businessman who is helping us too much,” the president said. “You know, Elon has a business in China, and maybe he’s easily affected by it – but it’s a fake story.”
Musk, who is an employee of the Special Government under Trump, reportedly has a top-secret security permit.
Hegseth said the Defense Ministry will work with Musk’s governor to find fraud and waste within the department.
Musk maintains a profitable contract with the Ministry of Defense. In October 2024, the U.S. Space Force awarded Musk’s SpaceX a $733 million launch contract.
