Donald Trump was reportedly furious with Elon Musk for planning to attend a top-secret briefing on China at the Pentagon last month.
The U.S. President canceled the briefing after the New York Times (NYT) reported that Musk would be briefed on military plans in the event of war with China.
Trump apparently said: “What the f**k is Elon doing there? Make sure he doesn’t go,” a top official told Axios.
Donald Trump was reportedly furious with Elon Musk and claimed he was never meant to attend such a briefing
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“POTUS still very much loves Elon, but there are some red lines,” the official said.
“Elon has a lot of business in China and he has good relations there, and this briefing just wasn't the right thing.”
After canceling the meeting, Trump described the NYT article as “completely untrue” while Musk described it as “propaganda.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said: “The Fake News is at it again, this time the Failing New York Times. They said, incorrectly, that Elon Musk is going to the Pentagon tomorrow to be briefed on any potential ‘war with China.’ How ridiculous?“
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“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 posted on X: “The New York Times is pure propaganda. Also, I look forward to the prosecutions of those at the Pentagon who are leaking maliciously false information to NYT.
“They will be found.”
Axios is reporting that both Trump and Musk knew the briefing had been canceled when they claimed the NYT story was false.
Trump and Musk responded to the NYT story on social media
The Pentagon meeting on March 21 still went ahead, but there was no mention of China, Axios reported.
On Tuesday, Pentagon officials Dan Caldwell and Darin Selnick were suspended by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as part of the investigation into who leaked Musk’s planned China briefing to NYT.
It comes as several cabinet members are reportedly frustrated with Musk, as they believe he is a political liability.
A recent Rolling Stone report said several officials are growing “deeply annoyed” with Musk and find him “irritating.”
Image credits: elonmusk
The Tesla owner is the de facto head of the Department of Government Efficiency, aimed at cutting federal spending.
“I keep using the word ‘annoying’; a lot of people who have to deal with him do. But the word doesn’t do the situation justice,” a senior official told Rolling Stone.
“Elon just thinks he’s smarter than everyone else in the room and acts like it, even when it’s clear he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
High ranking administration officials annoyed by Musk have walked out of meetings and even asked if he was high, the report said.
Musk—designated a special government employee—can only work for the federal government for 130 days because of his private-sector roles.
Trump has reportedly told cabinet officials that Musk will be stepping back from his current role soon and will take on more of a supporting role, Politico reported.