# Will Musk be given U.S. military secrets? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [March 22, 2025, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-musk-be-given-u-s-military-secrets/1015940 "2025-03-22T03:03:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gordon\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Gordon\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_G)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-musk-be-given-u-s-military-secrets/1015940/1 "2025-03-22T03:03:02Z")
The New York Times reported Thursday on a briefing Musk was to receive today at the Pentagon: > [@](#): > > The Pentagon was scheduled on Friday to brief Elon Musk on the U.S. military’s plan for any war that might break out with China, two U.S. officials said on Thursday. > > Another official said the briefing would be China focused, without providing additional details. A fourth official confirmed Mr. Musk was to be at the Pentagon on Friday, but offered no details. > > Hours after news of the planned meeting was published by The New York Times, Pentagon officials and President Trump denied that the session would be about military plans involving China. “China will not even be mentioned or discussed,” Mr. Trump said in a late-night social media post. > > … providing Mr. Musk access to some of the nation’s most closely guarded military secrets would be a dramatic expansion of his already extensive role as an adviser to Mr. Trump and leader of his effort to slash spending and purge the government of people and policies they oppose. > … Pentagon war plans, known in military jargon as O-plans or operational plans, are among the military’s most closely guarded secrets. If a foreign country were to learn how the United States planned to fight a war against them, it could reinforce its defenses and address its weaknesses, making the plans far less likely to succeed. The above can be read without a subscription. POTUS denies that the briefing will be about China, but I do not fully trust Mr. Trump’s veracity. Here are ome non-paywalled comments from another source: > [@](#): > > … the Tesla and SpaceX CEO will be visiting the Pentagon on Friday to get “access to some of the nation’s most closely guarded military secrets.” Those war plans are detailed in “20 to 30 slides” that reveal exactly how the U.S. would plan to fight a war against the world’s most populous nation and second-largest economy. > The _Times_ Julian E. Barnes, Maggie Haberman, Eric Lipton, Ryan Mac and Eric Schmitt noted that the briefing comes despite Musk having “extensive financial interests in China.” > > “If a foreign country was to learn how the United States planned to fight a war against them, it could reinforce its defenses and address its weaknesses, making the plans far less likely to succeed,” the reporters wrote. > > Some Musk critics expressed worry that China has significant leverage over the centibillionaire. … the Tesla factory in Shanghai — which was “built with special permission from the Chinese government” — is responsible for “more than half of Tesla’s global deliveries.” ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-musk-be-given-u-s-military-secrets/1015940/2 "2025-03-22T03:04:48Z")
Yes; I rather assumed he already had. And he’ll probably sell them to other nations too; anything for a profit. ---
**Author:** ![Ellie\_Williams](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellie_williams/32/17989_2.png) [@Ellie\_Williams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellie_Williams)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-musk-be-given-u-s-military-secrets/1015940/3 "2025-03-22T04:08:10Z")
Yup, as already mentioned it has [happened.](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-revealed-highly-classified-information-to-russian-foreign-minister-and-ambassador/2017/05/15/530c172a-3960-11e7-9e48-c4f199710b69_story.html) My contrarian opinion about Trump has always been less that he’s trying to be fascist but more that he’s a complete imbecile trying to run America as a company. National security interests mean nothing to him and never will, so it’s not a surprise to me at all that he’d invite Musk into these conversations. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-musk-be-given-u-s-military-secrets/1015940/4 "2025-03-22T04:27:09Z")
Adolf Tesler’s response to the report was that it isn’t true and whoever told the NYT should be prosecuted for leaking classified information. [![](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:emhyi4kljodgqlusdsopgfgd/bafkreidnx7t7r2xgbaene37eou7vjsxlvfdqw5bzjc7xdjk4m5oqbsymsi@jpeg) ](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:emhyi4kljodgqlusdsopgfgd/bafkreidnx7t7r2xgbaene37eou7vjsxlvfdqw5bzjc7xdjk4m5oqbsymsi@jpeg) I’ll let you figure out the problem with that statement. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-musk-be-given-u-s-military-secrets/1015940/5 "2025-03-22T06:58:49Z")
> [@Ellie\_Williams](#): > > My contrarian opinion about Trump has always been less that he’s trying to be fascist but more that he’s a complete imbecile trying to run America as a company. As I’ve said in the past, I don’t think he’s personally a fascist because that would require him to care about something beyond _himself._ “Fascist” is a standard he can’t reach. He’s a great enabler of fascists, though. “Running America as a company” is closer, since it touches on his central quality: utter selfishness. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-musk-be-given-u-s-military-secrets/1015940/6 "2025-03-22T07:47:21Z")
I’m a South African/Zimbabwean. If I moved to the States, I’d no more expect to get security clearance at the very lowest level than to become POTUS. Who let this idiot in, in the first place? Somewhere, some low level bureaucrat must be deeply ashamed of their decision to grant Musk citizenship. Or even a visa. Although, as I have said, we don’t want him back. Deport him to Canada… but I see they won’t want him either. Somalia? Eritrea? Guys, I need help here! Perhaps the UK would take him, just on St. Helena. They have some experience managing megalomat arseholes on that island. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-musk-be-given-u-s-military-secrets/1015940/7 "2025-03-22T12:16:35Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > must be deeply ashamed of their decision to grant Musk citizenship Or very rich… Now. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-musk-be-given-u-s-military-secrets/1015940/8 "2025-03-22T13:40:56Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > I’m a South African/Zimbabwean. If I moved to the States, I’d no more expect to get security clearance at the very lowest level than to become POTUS. While you would be constitutionally barred from becoming POTUS, there is nothing preventing you from getting security clearances. Notable Madilyn Albright and Henry Kissinger were both Secretary of State and naturalized citizens. None of this is justification for Musk getting access to anything. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-musk-be-given-u-s-military-secrets/1015940/9 "2025-03-22T14:08:42Z")
Is it possible to protest too much? ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-musk-be-given-u-s-military-secrets/1015940/10 "2025-03-22T15:01:25Z")
> [@FinsToTheLeft](#): > > While you would be constitutionally barred from becoming POTUS Yeah, well. I have a criminal record in both my home countries, I doubt I’d make it to president. But wow. If I could!! I don’t (yet) have a record in the UK, my other citizenship (Alleged possession of MDMA in Zimbabwe, confessed to crimen injuria in RSA -called a policeman a poes, which is very defamatory. He had just pepper sprayed me, so I feel OK with that) ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-musk-be-given-u-s-military-secrets/1015940/11 "2025-03-22T15:08:53Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > Yeah, well. I have a criminal record in both my home countries, I doubt I’d make it to president. Not following the US news all that closely, huh? Felons can be POTUS now! ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-musk-be-given-u-s-military-secrets/1015940/12 "2025-03-22T15:13:55Z")
Yeah, but I’d need a fake birth certificate, and I don’t know anyone in Hawaii. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-musk-be-given-u-s-military-secrets/1015940/13 "2025-03-22T17:46:25Z")
> [@Ellie\_Williams](#): > > My contrarian opinion about Trump has always been less that he’s trying to be fascist but more that he’s a complete imbecile trying to run America as a company. I don’t think you’re off base there; working for poorly managed companies is a lot like living in a fascist regime. And I’m sure the Heritage Foundation realizes this, and is using Trump’s tendency toward this to enact their own fascist plans. As for Musk getting access, we need people sueing/getting injunctions to prevent it. I’m starting to think we need to force the Constitutional crisis as soon as we can and get this nonsense over with- as much as we try to delay, etc… this sort of behavior on their part gets normalized and that’s a _BAD_ thing. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-musk-be-given-u-s-military-secrets/1015940/14 "2025-03-22T22:15:30Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > I’d need a fake birth certificate, and I don’t know anyone in Hawaii. @CairoCarol Now you do. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2025, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-musk-be-given-u-s-military-secrets/1015940/15 "2025-03-22T22:46:10Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > Yeah, but I’d need a fake birth certificate, and I don’t know anyone in Hawaii. > [@BippityBoppityBoo](#): > > @CairoCarol > > Now you do. Heh heh. Maybe I can have a side business in forging birth certificates. It seems there is a demand … ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2025, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-musk-be-given-u-s-military-secrets/1015940/16 "2025-03-23T00:28:58Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > Maybe I can have a side business in forging birth certificates. It seems there is a demand … But you have to provide the mythical ‘long form’ birth certificates which can never be produced because there isn’t enough paper in the world to convince Orly Taitz and Carol Tabor that President Obama was born in Hawai’i, so good luck with your endeavor. Stranger