President Donald Trump reportedly canceled a highly classified briefing for Elon Musk following a report by The New York Times, which indicated that Pentagon officials were preparing to discuss potential U.S. military strategies concerning China with the CEO of DOGE.
As reported by Axios, Trump intervened due to apprehensions regarding Musk’s business connections in China. A source described as a senior official relayed that Trump expressed his disapproval, stating, “What the f**k is Elon doing there? Make sure he doesn’t go.”
The official, who chose to remain anonymous, conveyed to Axios that while Musk still retains Trump’s backing, the president aims to set specific limits, especially in relation to China.
“POTUS still very much appreciates Elon, but there are certain boundaries,” the official remarked. “Elon has significant business interests in China and maintains strong ties there, and this briefing simply wasn’t appropriate.” Following the Times’ report, Trump dismissed it as yet another instance of “fake news.”
In a post on Truth Social dated March 20, Trump stated, “They incorrectly claimed that Elon Musk is going to the Pentagon tomorrow to be briefed on any potential ‘war with China.’ How ridiculous! China will not even be mentioned or discussed. It is disgraceful that the discredited media can fabricate such lies. In any case, the story is entirely false!”
However, Axios noted that the president’s statement came only after the briefing had been canceled.
This development follows Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s suspension of at least two senior Pentagon officials, Dan Caldwell and Darin Selnick, as part of the Defense Department’s initiative to identify and eliminate individuals leaking sensitive information to the media. Reuters initially reported that Caldwell was suspended due to an “unauthorized disclosure” of information amid an ongoing investigation into internal leaks at the Pentagon. A Department of Defense official confirmed this report to Fox News Digital but refrained from providing further comments due to the active investigation. Caldwell, known for his realist approach to foreign policy, previously collaborated with the administration.In March, the Pentagon revealed its initiative to identify individuals within the Defense Department responsible for “recent unauthorized disclosures of national security information.” According to Fox News, the Department of Defense (DoD) plans to employ polygraph examinations to pinpoint those allegedly leaking sensitive or classified information.
DOD Chief of Staff Joe Kasper stated in a memo, “The implementation of polygraphs in this investigation will adhere to relevant laws and policies.” He further indicated that the investigation would begin immediately and conclude with a report submitted to the Secretary of Defense.
The memo specified that the report would encompass a comprehensive account of unauthorized disclosures within the DoD, along with recommendations for enhancing preventive measures.
Additionally, it was mentioned that any information identifying an individual responsible for an unauthorized disclosure would be forwarded for potential criminal prosecution.
Caldwell’s close association with Hegseth was underscored in a leaked Signal chat regarding U.S. operations against the Houthis, where Hegseth referred to Caldwell as the Pentagon’s liaison for the mission. This private discussion came to light after National Security Advisor Mike Waltz inadvertently included The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, in the chat.
The Defense Department joins other federal agencies, such as the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice, in announcing the use of polygraphs to detect potential leakers.
This directive from the DoD followed shortly after former President Trump dismissed a New York Times article suggesting that Musk would receive briefings on “war plans” concerning China.
