On March 21, 2025, tech entrepreneur Elon Musk attacked the New York Times, calling it “pure propaganda” after it was reported that the Pentagon would brief him on U.S. military plans for a possible battle with China. Shortly after denouncing the Times as “discredited media” and “the enemy of the people,” former President Donald Trump claimed that the newspaper’s reports of Musk’s visit to the Pentagon were inaccurate and deceptive.
Musk stated his plan to take legal action against Pentagon employees he said were giving the Times “maliciously false information” in his post on X. “I am eager for the prosecution of those at the Pentagon who are knowingly providing NYT with maliciously false information,” he said. They’ll be located.
Concerns regarding possible conflicts of interest arising from Musk’s commercial relationships in China were raised by the New York Times’ allegation that his access to confidential military strategy would represent an extension of his position within the government.
Trump said that “China will not even be mentioned or discussed” during the briefing, while Pentagon officials disputed that the briefing will include talks about military plans pertaining to China. In response to the Times’ allegations, the Pentagon subsequently stated that Musk’s visit was meant to be a tour rather than a strategic briefing.
This event demonstrates the continued hostilities between Trump, Musk, and mainstream media, as both individuals have become more outspoken in their criticism of what they see as biassed reporting.
