'They will be found': Musk calls for prosecution of Pentagon leakers amid NYT report

Washington DC: Elon Musk met with United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon on Friday for an 80-minute discussion, marking his first high-level meeting with top military officials. The Pentagon did not confirm whether US generals participated virtually.

The meeting came amid controversy over a New York Times report stating that Musk was initially set to visit The Tank, a secure conference room at the Pentagon, for a briefing with top military leaders on a potential China war plan. According to the report, two US officials claimed Musk was scheduled to receive a briefing on the plan, while a third official stated Musk would discuss China but did not provide further details.

Musk strongly denied the report, calling The New York Times “pure propaganda” in a post on X. He also demanded legal action against Pentagon officials allegedly responsible for leaking what he described as “maliciously false information” to the newspaper, stating, “They will be found.”

Following the controversy, the planned Tank meeting between Musk and the US Joint Chiefs of Staff was cancelled. At a White House event later, Trump dismissed claims that Musk was to be briefed on classified military strategies but acknowledged concerns over Musk’s business ties to China.

Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tammy Duckworth wrote to Hegseth, demanding details on what information, if any, was shared with Musk. The White House has stated that Musk would recuse himself from discussions where conflicts of interest may arise.

Musk’s companies, including SpaceX and Starlink, hold multiple Pentagon contracts and could benefit from Trump’s proposed Golden Dome missile defense shield, which would rely on a network of satellites and sensors.

Separately, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has launched an investigation into leaks within the intelligence community. Records show that during Trump’s first term, his administration referred more media leaks for criminal investigation each year than in the previous 15 years.