March 21, 2025

Duckworth, Warren Demand Answers from Hegseth on Reports of Musk’s Planned Top-Secret Briefing on U.S. War Plans for China

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC)—joined U.S. Senator and fellow SASC colleague Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in demanding clarity from U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on meetings held by Elon Musk at the Pentagon today. In a letter, the Senators requested several answers to questions about whether Elon Musk received a “top-secret briefing on U.S. war plans for China” that media reports indicated would have provided him with access to information that is “among the military’s most closely guarded secrets.” Initial reports from the New York Times, later confirmed by the Wall Street Journal, indicated that Elon Musk was scheduled to receive such a briefing today, “because he asked for one.” But President Trump, Elon Musk and Secretary Hegseth indicated that they may have reversed course after this news became public. However, it still remains unclear what information Mr. Musk received at the Pentagon today.

“We hope that you did not share top-secret war plans with Mr. Musk today and do not do so in the future,” wrote the Senators. “Although they may satisfy his curiosity, there is no legitimate national security or other rationale for providing this information to Mr. Musk – who is not a military or national security expert, is not a member of the President’s cabinet, and is not even serving as a permanent federal employee.”

Although Mr. Musk is ostensibly engaged in an effort to cut wasteful spending with his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), there is no need for him to obtain access to some of our most sensitive secrets in order to do so. Meanwhile, Mr. Musk’s conflicts of interest also raise significant concerns.

Mr. Musk has extensive business interests in China through his automotive company, including a factory in Shanghai that “was built with special permission from the Chinese government” and “now accounts for more than half of (the company)’s global deliveries.” Along with Mr. Musk’s “extensive financial interests in China,” in public, Mr. Musk has “avoided criticizing Beijing and signaled his willingness to work with the Chinese Community Party (CCP).” He has parroted CCP talking points – contrary to the current official U.S. foreign policy – that Taiwan is “an integral part of China” and should become a special administrative zone like Hong Kong.

“The military’s top-secret information is classified as top secret for a reason,” concluded the Senators. “The unauthorized disclosure of such information to any one of our adversaries could pose exceptionally grave national security risks.”

The Senators asked Secretary Hegseth a series of questions to establish an accurate accounting of Mr. Musk’s briefing, including precisely what information was provided to Mr. Musk today and why.

A copy of the letter is available on the Senator’s website.

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