16:53
World Business
Elon Musk holds unprecedented Pentagon meeting, wants leakers prosecuted
reuters
Elon Musk's push to reform U.S. government spending reached new heights on Friday as he held an unprecedented meeting with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon, where discussions centered on innovation, efficiencies, and streamlining Pentagon operations.
Billionaire Elon Musk took his campaign to reform U.S. federal government spending to new heights on Friday, holding an unprecedented meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon. This top-level discussion focused on cutting government expenses, although the exact details of the talks remain unclear. Musk also called for the prosecution of any Pentagon officials responsible for leaking false information about the meeting.
In his first visit to the Pentagon, Musk met with Hegseth for an 80-minute discussion, where the agenda was said to center on innovation, efficiency, and smarter production within the Department of Defense. Reports from The New York Times that Musk would be briefed on confidential war plans concerning China were swiftly denied by both Musk and President Donald Trump, with Musk labeling the claims as "pure propaganda" and vowing legal action against the leakers.
Musk’s presence at the Pentagon is part of his broader efforts to streamline federal spending, having already become an influential adviser on government efficiency under Trump. However, his dual role as CEO of Tesla and SpaceX—both of which have significant contracts with the Pentagon—has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
As the meeting concluded, Musk expressed his willingness to support the Pentagon’s efforts, noting, "If there's anything I can do to be helpful, I would like us to have a good outcome here."
The meeting comes amid growing scrutiny over leaks within the intelligence community, with investigations already underway into the sources of confidential information, and calls for accountability intensifying.
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Newshour with Guy Shone
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