In an unusual hint that the billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s expanded involvement in the government could encounter constraints, President Donald Trump stated on Friday that war plans should not be shared with Musk due to his economic interests.
During a meeting in the Oval Office to discuss the design of a new fighter plane, Trump made the remarks and denied rumors that Musk would be briefed on American strategy for a hypothetical conflict with China.
The president, who is Republican, spoke about Elon’s commercial dealings in China. “And he could be vulnerable, maybe, to that.”
According to Trump, Musk is a patriot. An uncommon admission of worries about Musk juggling his business and political duties is the mention of his companies, which include Tesla, an electric vehicle maker attempting to increase sales and manufacturing in China.
Prior to this, Trump had ignored concerns over Musk’s possible conflicts of interest by stating that he would avoid them when required.
Friday morning, Musk reportedly paid a visit to the Pentagon to discuss cost reduction efforts spearheaded by the Department of Government Efficiency, according to the president.
Musk was present “to talk about efficiencies, to talk about innovations,” according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
An interview with Musk that was captured on camera by CNN shows him saying, “anything that could be helpful,” as he leaves the Pentagon. Concerning whether he was briefed on China in a confidential meeting during the visit, he likewise declined to comment.
In the Trump administration’s drive to slash the size of the government, Musk has been instrumental. A number of politicians and citizens have strongly opposed his use of a chainsaw to lay off employees and cut programs, while Trump’s fans have praised it.
The Pentagon plans to lay off between fifty thousand and sixty thousand civilian workers, according to a senior defense official who spoke with media on Tuesday.