By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2025-03-21 14:32:41 | Updated at 2025-04-04 07:09:00
1 week ago
Billionaire DOGE head Elon Musk says he's going to find the latest Defense Department 'leakers.'
It comes after President Donald Trump vehemently denied a New York Times report cited sources who claim 'first buddy' Musk was going to the Pentagon on Friday for a briefing from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on preparations for war with China.
'The New York Times is pure propaganda,' Musk wrote on X in adding to Trump's denial of the report.
He warned: 'They will be found.'
Meanwhile, Trump and Hegseth are preparing to unveil on Friday plans for a next-generation fighter jet contract worth at least $20 billion. that would see a crewed aircraft that can enter combat alongside unmanned drones.
Pentagon spokesman rips New York Times for 'completely fake' report on Elon Musk getting China war plan briefing
Jon Michael Raasch, Political Reporter for DailyMail.com
After a New York Times article claimed that DOGE leader and Tesla CEO Elon Musk was set to receive a 'top secret' briefing on the U.S. military's war plans for China, the Pentagon is pushing back.
'That is completely fake,' Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said about the article on Friday. 'This is egregious.'
'The New York Times should retract this story,' he continued.
Parnell did not deny that Musk has a planned visit to the Pentagon, sharing that the DOGE leader is 'just coming over here for a visit again.'
'This type of garbage from the New York Times … undermines our mission,' he said.
The Times report cited anonymous officials with knowledge of the top-secret briefing.
Comedians to honor Conan at Kennedy Center on Sunday
By Emily Goodin, senior White House correspondent
Conan O'Brien will receive one of comedy’s most prestigious prizes when he is awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor on Sunday.
The event takes place at the Kennedy Center, which is at the center of a cultural storm due to President Donald Trump’s decision to take over its board.
Typically, the Mark Twain recipient is roasted and toasted by fellow comedians. But the Kennedy Center is keeping quiet on who will appear on stage to honor O’Brien.
The bigger question is will these comedians address the elephant in the room – Trump’s domination of the arts center – or will they focus their attention on O’Brien.
The ceremony tapes on Sunday evening and will air at Netflix at a future, undisclosed date.
Trump to announce $20billion next-gen fighter-jet contract
By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter
President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are announcing a new fighter jet program at the White House on Friday.
Around 11:00 a.m., the two are gathering in the Oval to unveil plans for a next-generation fighter jet contract worth at least $20 billion.
It seeks to create a crewed aircraft that can enter combat alongside unmanned drones.
Trump and Hegseth will announce the new engineering and manufacturing development contract, which Lockheed Martin and Boeing are competing for.
The winning firm will receive billions in federal funding for the contract's multi-decade lifespan.
The next-generation project seeks to replace the F-22 Raptor (pictured)
Trump issues volcanic tirade denying Pentagon is briefing Elon Musk on China
President Donald Trump angrily denied reports that Elon Musk will be getting a Pentagon briefing on a plan for any war that might break out with China, calling it an 'absolutely ridiculous and false story.'
Both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal cited two U.S. officials who said that Musk was getting a look at 'top secret' war plans if America and China came into conflict.
Trump took to his Truth Social account to attack some of the outlets that reported it and to slam New York Times' reporter Maggie Haberman, who has covered Trump for years and won prizes for her reporting on him.
He said on Friday the 'failing' New York Times is 'one of the worst and most purposely inaccurate newspapers anywhere in the World.'
Elon Musk vows to find latest Pentagon 'leakers'
By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter
Elon Musk vowed he would find and punish those who claimed he was going to the Pentagon for a briefing on Friday.
'I look forward to the prosecutions of those at the Pentagon who are leaking maliciously false information to NYT,' Musk wrote on X 'They will be found.'
The New York Times cited sources who said Musk was meeting with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday for a briefing on preparations for potential war with China.
Trump and Musk have now said that this report is false.
