Trump financier Elon Musk, who has described himself as “pro-China” and who has extensive financial ties to that nation, is scheduled to receive a briefing at the Pentagon on the military’s top secret war plans for China, according to multiple reports.
An official told the Wall Street Journal that the Friday briefing would include information on targeting plans and maritime tactics. Multiple officials also informed The New York Times about plans for the briefing, highlighting increasing fears of intelligence leaks by the billionaire as well as significant conflict of interest concerns.
President Donald Trump angrily responded to leaks of the planned meeting, fuming on his social media account about the reports.
“Their FAKE concept for this story is that because Elon does some business in China, that he is very conflicted and would immediately go to top Chinese officials and ‘spill the beans,’” Trump wrote. Trump accused Maggie Haberman, one of the New York Times reporters who worked on the story and who he has spoken to at length over the last ten-plus years, of making up sources.
He concluded, “The Fake News is the ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE…And Elon is NOT BEING BRIEFED ON ANYTHING CHINA BY THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR!!!”
The United States has not had a “Department of War” since 1947.
Trump and Musk speak to reporters near a red Model S Tesla vehicle on the South Lawn of the White House on March 11, 2025, in Washington.
Musk has extensive ties to China through his satellite of companies that do business there. Tesla, his car company, has a factory in Shanghai and received hundreds of millions of dollars in tax credits from the Chinese government in exchange for doing so. The facility is Tesla’s largest factory and produces half of the company’s cars.
Musk has described himself as “kind of pro-China” while advocating for China’s position on international issues and trade.
Vox reports that Premier Li Qiang, who is second in command of the Chinese government, reportedly offered Musk a green card when they met in 2019.
Tu Le, director of Sino Auto Insights, told Vox, “China is the linchpin to Tesla’s overall long-term strategy.”
Tesla was criticized in 2022 by none other than now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio after the company opened a showroom in the Xinjiang region of China. The U.S. government has described the treatment of Uyghur Muslims in that area as genocide.
“Nationless corporations are helping the Chinese Communist Party cover up genocide and slave labor in the region,” Rubio wrote in response.
Musk’s other companies—including xAI, SpaceX, and Neuralink—also reportedly have Chinese investors, meaning the man who donated millions to Trump has a financial incentive in keeping China happy.
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Trump has demonstrated fierce loyalty to Musk, constantly defending him from criticism and attacking his critics. Trump has enabled Musk’s attacks on the federal government via the Department of Government Efficiency and has said he would be hands off on conflicts of interest stemming from Musk’s involvement in his administration.
Opening the door for China on top military secrets would appear to be the logical next step in the Trump-Musk alliance.
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