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The story began Last Thursday. Apparently, the Pentagon had organized an informative meeting for Elon Musk. So far, all more or less “normal” The government role who has obtained the richest man in the world since Trump was re -elected. The problem was the task of the apparent meeting, According to the New York Times: Put Musk aware of the Military Secret Plan that has in the United States before a possible war war with China. The schism has been such that Pentagon itself seeks at this time to the culprit.
Presidential denial. After the Times articlePresident Donald Trump did not take long in reject publicly The possibility that Musk has access to secret military plans related to a potential conflict with China. As we said, according to the newspaper, Musk would have been scheduled to receive a high -level informative session in the Pentagon on US military strategies against Chinawhat aroused concern due to their extensive commercial links With that country.
Trump denied the existence of this session and said that, although Musk is significantly helping the government, identifying “waste, fraud and abuse,” It would not be appropriate Sharing high sensitivity information, emphasizing that, in his opinion, Musk himself would not want to put himself in that position.
The visit and multiple interpretations. Musk, CEO of Spacex and Tesla, in addition to part -time government advisor, visited the pentagon the day after the exclusive Times, on Friday, March 22, and said A private meeting Of more than an hour with the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, and with the Vice Chief of the Joint General Staff, Admiral Christopher W. Gray.
Originally, according to two officials cited by the TimesMusk was going to be received in “The Tank”, a high security conference room within the building, to discuss defense strategies in case of a confrontation with China. It was also mentioned that the meeting would include Admiral Samuel J. Paparo, head of the United States Indo-Pacific Command. However, this last session seems that It was finally canceled After the publication of the article. Musk finally met at the Office of the Secretary of Defense, not in the “Safe Sala”, which could have limited access to classified material.
Postures and ambiguity. During an event in the Oval office in which Trump and Hegseth announced a new defense contract for the new Air Force hunting, Both denied The version of Times, describing it as “a false story.” Hegseth insisted that the visit It was informal and revolved around government efficiency issues.
Trump claimed to have learned of the alleged classified session Through the newspaper And he declared that he had called his chief of Cabinet and Hegseth to confirm the veracity of the information, who discarded it as absurd. Despite this, Trump took the opportunity to underline that, due to Musk’s businesses in China, It would be reckless Share sensitive military plans, marking one of the clearest limits so far regarding the relationship between the tycoon and the administration.
Lack of clarity. I counted in Another later article The Times there are areas Gray at the meeting. Neither Musk nor Hegseth answered questions from the press at the end of it. When questioned by a reporter of the Times about the content of the meeting, Hegseth replied Dry: “Why would I tell you?”, Before retiring without clarifications.
A senior defense official, speaking under condition of anonymity, said Musk attended to provide, and not receive, an informative session focused on industrial policy and sharing experiences linked to their companies. Trump, meanwhile, He reaffirmed this version Subsequently, stating that the visit was related to Musk’s efforts to reduce the size of the government and improve the efficiency of public spending.
Tension after controversy. Be that as it may, the United States Department of Defense has started formal investigationwhich includes the use of polygraph tests, to identify those responsible for internal leaks after the accusations arising around Musk’s recent visit to Pentagon.
The decision was promoted after Musk itself publicly demandedthrough Your social network Xthe prosecution of Pentagon officials that would be disseminating “maliciously false information” about their relationship with the military institution.
Criminal implications. Before the magnitude of the scandal, Joe Kasper, Hegseth Cabinet Chief, announced the immediate start of research to identify unauthorized leaks of information on national security. In a memorandum issued on March 21, Kasper indicated that the investigation will collect A complete record of unauthorized disseminations within the Department of Defense and will issue recommendations to improve confidentiality protocols.
Who are responsible will be referred to criminal authorities corresponding for prosecution. This investigative offensive, which includes interrogations with lies detector, represents an unprecedented response within the American defense apparatus and reflects the level of concern generated by filtration.
Tesla and China. The truth is that the controversy that has emerged is much less trivial, and has to do with the Musk’s delicate balance Between the two powers. Tesla, Musk’s automotive company, has been one of The big beneficiaries of Chinese policies in favor of electric vehicles. His factory in Shanghai is the biggest and company productive, and represents approximately 37% of its global sales.
To fully operate in the country, Tesla has received incentivesregulatory approvals and privileged access to the market, including authorizations to display autonomous driving technology.
Starlink and China. In parallel, Spacex and its Starlink satellite system, essential for the operations of the Department of Defense, place Musk in a dual position: as a key supplier for the national security of the United States and as an entrepreneur with strong interests in a rival power.
Dissonance becomes even more evident for the past comments of Musk himself, who Taiwan has described as “an integral part of China” and has proposed a reintegration model similar to Hong Kong’s, ideas that have been Well received in Beijing But harshly criticized by Taipei and by US officials.
Concern in Congress. Had the weekend The Washington Post That both Republican and Democratic legislators have expressed concerns about how the Chinese Communist Party could take advantage of Musk’s influence on American politics. Michael Sobolik, an expert from Hudson Institute, also stressed that the businessman had replicated publicly Favorable messages to Beijing On delicate issues such as Taiwan and Uigures, which could make it a strategic asset for China.
Congressman John Moolenaar, president of the Select Committee on China, warned that the Chinese regime will seek exploit any opportunity of influence, and his democratic counterpart Krishnamorthi added that Beijing could see Musk as A way to overcome to hard figures within the Trump administration, such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio or National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.
Transcend the immediate. Beyond itself It is confirmed or not The existence of the supposed information session and Musk has access to the alleged war plan, the case has become a fire test on The limits of transparencynational security and public-private collaboration in highly sensitive sectors.
If you want also, illustrate the growing friction between the need for efficiency and the obligation to preserve confidentiality at a time when actors like Musk They challenge the traditional categories of entrepreneur, advisor and contractor of the State. Internal research will mark the tone of how the pentagon fights with future tensions of this nature, but will also open a deeper debate on who should have access (and under what conditions) to the most protected secrets of the nation.
Image | Goodfon, Ministrium of communication
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