Donald Trump reportedly blocked Elon Musk from a top-secret China briefing after tensions arose between Musk and White House staff.
In a surprising turn of events, President Donald Trump has reportedly blocked Elon Musk from attending a high-level government meeting regarding China.
This decision came after Musk allegedly annoyed White House officials, leading to a heated reaction from Trump.
Pentagon officials were suspended for leaking briefing details.
The situation escalated when two Pentagon officials, Dan Caldwell and Darin Selnick, faced suspension.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth took this action following an investigation into how Musk learned about the confidential briefing.
The leak prompted Trump to take matters into his own hands, ordering staff to cancel the meeting.
According to reports, Trump expressed his frustration, questioning why Musk was invited.
He allegedly exclaimed, “What the f**k is Elon doing there? Make sure he doesn’t go.”
The president was concerned that Musk’s extensive business interests in China made his presence inappropriate.
Musk’s presence at the White House raises concerns
Musk’s frequent visits to the White House and his active role in government have drawn criticism from several officials.
Although Trump has previously praised Musk, this time, the billionaire’s connections to China crossed a line.
Officials felt that the tech mogul’s involvement in sensitive discussions could lead to conflicts of interest.
Trump had previously assured that Musk, as head of DOGE, would not engage in areas where his business ties could pose problems.
‘POTUS still loves Elon, but there are red lines,’ one source told the news outlet. ‘Elon has a lot of business in China and he has good relations there, and this briefing just wasn’t the right thing.’
Confusion arose regarding the military briefing’s actual content.
Reports indicated that Musk was set to receive a briefing on U.S. military plans in case of a conflict with China.
However, after the story broke, both Trump and Pentagon officials denied that the meeting would focus on military strategies.
Trump took to his Truth Social account to dismiss these claims, calling them “ridiculous” and “fake news.”
He insisted that the briefing would not discuss China at all. This contradiction raised questions about the nature of the meeting and what topics were truly at stake.
‘They said, incorrectly, that Elon Musk is going to the Pentagon tomorrow to be briefed on any potential ‘war with China,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.
‘How ridiculous? China will not even be mentioned or discussed. How disgraceful it is that the discredited media can make up such lies. Anyway, the story is completely untrue!!!’
Musk’s business interests in China raise significant concerns.
Musk’s Tesla operates its largest factory, Gigafactory Shanghai, which produced nearly half of all Tesla vehicles last year.
This significant business presence in China has raised eyebrows regarding his involvement in U.S. government discussions about China.
Despite Trump’s objections, the Pentagon meeting still took place. Musk arrived in a motorcade and met with Defense Secretary Hegseth for an 80-minute discussion.
Musk declined to share details afterward, responding to questions about the meeting with, “Why should I tell you?”
Ongoing tensions between the U.S. and China
Trump remained upset even after the meeting, continuing to criticize the New York Times for their coverage of the story.
He emphasized the importance of keeping U.S. plans confidential, especially concerning potential conflicts with China.
‘We don’t want to have a potential war with China, but I can tell you if we did, we’re very well-equipped to handle it, but I don’t want to show that to anybody but certainly you wouldn’t show it to a businessman,’ Trump said.
‘Elon has businesses in China and he would be susceptible perhaps to that.’
This incident occurs at a time of heightened tensions between the U.S. and China.
The Biden administration has intensified trade disputes, imposing significant tariffs on Chinese imports.
In retaliation, China has raised tariffs on U.S. goods, further escalating the situation.
Musk expressed his frustration over the leaks, warning that those responsible at the Pentagon would face consequences.
He stated, ‘I look forward to the prosecutions of those at the Pentagon who are maliciously leaking false information to NYT. They will be found,’ he wrote on his X platform.