Trump Admits Musk 'Susceptible' on China

President denies his close ally, who has businesses in China, will be briefed on secret US war strategy

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WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump said on March 21 that Mr. Elon Musk should not be allowed to see top-secret US plans for any war with China, in a rare admission that his billionaire ally's business links in the country raised potential conflicts of interest.

Mr. Trump strongly denied media reports that the world's richest man, who is now leading the cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), would receive a classified Pentagon briefing on its war strategy.

Mr. Musk, boss of Tesla and Space X, has major business interests in China but also huge American defense contracts, and his status as an unelected adviser to Mr. Trump has raised concerns about his influence. "I don't want to show it to anybody. You're talking about a potential war with China," Mr. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

"Certainly you wouldn't show it to a businessman who is helping us so much... Elon has businesses in China and he would be susceptible perhaps to that."