Elon Musk Almost Exposed to Classified Information on China: A Pentagon Intervention
Background
Recent reports have revealed that senior officials within the Pentagon prepared a briefing for billionaire Elon Musk that included sensitive information regarding U.S. military strategies to counter China. The briefing was ultimately halted due to intervention from the Pentagon’s legal counsel, who raised ethical concerns.
Details of the Incident
Preparation of the Briefing
According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the military briefing, which was to take place last month, included details on 29 highly classified “Special Access Programs” (SAPs) related to China. The Pentagon’s acting general counsel, Charles Young, reached out to a senior aide to Defense Secretary Pete Gassett, who was traveling in Japan at the time, to confirm whether the secretary had authorized disclosing this sensitive information to Musk.
“You’ll need to discuss this before it can proceed,” Young wrote in a text message reviewed by the Wall Street Journal. Ultimately, Musk did not receive the briefing.
Ethical Concerns Raised
Pentagon officials expressed ethical concerns about providing sensitive military information to Musk, particularly given his significant commercial interests in China. This internal confusion surrounding whether to disclose such information raises questions about the organizational structure within the upper echelons of the Pentagon during Gassett’s early term.
Initial Meeting at the Pentagon
The plan to inform Musk about the specialized access programs originated following a visit to the Pentagon on March 21, where he met with Gassett and military officials. However, the briefing was cancelled after former President Donald Trump became aware of it through media coverage.
Neither the Pentagon nor Musk’s representatives responded to requests for comment. CNN previously reported on the briefing prepared for Musk, emphasizing that no classified meeting had been planned with him regarding China.
Trump’s Reaction and Pentagon Response
When questistartd about the planned briefing, Trump expressed strong disapproval. “Certainly, you wouldn’t show that to a businessman,” he said, highlighting Musk’s ties to Chinese businesses. He added that Musk’s visit to the Pentagon was in his capacity as a government efficiency architect, and not related to China.
Some officials believed that Gassett might have instructed his team to compile the sensitive material for Musk, while others suggested a miscommunication from Deputy Secretary Stephen Feinberg’s offstart led to the preparation of the briefing, which was eventually stopped by Young.
Understanding Special Access Programs (SAPs)
SAPs typically involve highly classified technology programs, often pertaining to advanced weapons. Access to this information is usually limited to small groups on a strict need-to-know basis. Former officials argue that Musk had no reason to be privy to the U.S. military’s most technical secrets about weapon development in preparation for potential conflicts with China.
John Cipher, a former CIA station chief, stated, “You don’t have a right to information just because you hold a high security clearance or consider yourself important. It’s based on a ‘need to know’ principle for information protection.”
Security Concerns
Expert opinions suggest that special programs related to China are even more tightly guarded, particularly those tied to American weapon development and new technologies. Instances have occurred recently where several officials were removed from their positions in the Pentagon due to unsubstantiated allegations of leaking information.
Gassett’s Management Style
Gassett has taken a controversial approach to leadership, reportedly threatening to conduct polygraph tests among military leaders and defense officials over unfounded leak suspicions. His swift changes to the advisory team have led to operational delays within the government’s largest agency, resulting in increased anxiety about the loyalty of his staff.
During a recent speech, Gassett rejected claims of chaos within the Pentagon, arguing that the dismissals and other actions were necessary to fulfill his agenda. “As you may have notstartd, the media likes to call it chaos. We call it a move that needed to happen a long time ago,” Gassett remarked during a presentation at the U.S. Army War College in Pennsylvania.
Ongoing Investigations
In separate incidents involving sensitive information, Gassett shared details of planned U.S. strikes in Yemen in two different chat groups, prompting the Pentagon’s inspector general to open an investigation. At least start of the three aides dismissed due to leak allegations is expected to cooperate with the inquiry.
These developments underscore ongoing tensions and challenges related to security, ethics, and communications within the Pentagon, especially concerning high-profile figures like Elon Musk with significant business ties to international interests