Hegseth says meeting with Musk was about “innovation, efficiencies”

 Elon Musk visited the Pentagon Friday morning to meet with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about “innovation, efficiencies & smarter production,” Hegseth said in a post on X Thursday night. 

Hegseth denied a report by the New York Times that Musk would receive a briefing on plans for any potential war with China, dismissing it in a post on X as “fake news.” A defense official said the leader of the Department of Government Efficiency met with senior defense officials. Gen. David Allvin, the chief of staff of the Air Force, was seen walking into the meeting.

Outside the Pentagon, Musk and Hegseth shook hands, and Musk told the defense secretary, “If there’s anything I can do to be helpful, I’d like to see you.”

Musk is not a military adviser to the president, but has been overseeing an effort to shrink the federal government, including the Defense Department. His companies, including Starlink and SpaceX, also have government contracts across the federal government, with NASA, the Space Force and Air Force, among others.

Hegseth and Mr. Trump are expected to announce Friday a contract award to produce sixth-generation fighter jets. 

Charlie D’Agata and Ed O’Keefe contributed to this report.

In:
• Elon Musk
• United States Department of Defense