Trump forced to deny Elon Musk was set to get secret briefing on war with China TODAY – as Tesla chief threatens leakers

TRUMP was forced to deny that Elon Musk was invited to join top-secret briefings on plans for a war with China.

Musk was summoned to the Pentagon where, according to officials cited by the New York Times, Trump intended to discuss the “top secret” strategy for a US-China conflict, if it ever happened.

Such a war would be devastating for both sides, facing off the world's largest army from China against the world's largest defence budget in the US.

Xi Jingping commands an army of 2.1million active forces, compared to the US's 1.3million, though America has superior equipment stocks.

China has warned it is ready for “any type” of war against America, after Trump slapped higher tariffs on its goods earlier this month.

But Trump rubbished the reports, insisting “China will not even be mentioned or discussed” in the meeting planned for Friday.

Musk slammed the story as “false information” and even made threats against the staff behind the leak.

And Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth wrote on X: “This is NOT a meeting about ‘top secret China war plans.’ It’s an informal meeting about innovation, efficiencies & smarter production. Gonna be great!”

Despite the denials, the reports have sparked speculation that Musk has indeed been invited into the heart of America's classified security discussions.

The leak came from two US officials talking to the NYT anonymously, and was later separately confirmed by the Wall Street Journal.

They claimed that Musk was to sit down with senior US military officials to overview a range of topics.

The briefing reportedly would include 20 to 30 slides laying out how the US would fight in a conflict with China.

A third official confirmed the meeting was to be China-focused, but gave no more details.

It's unclear whether the scheduled meeting will go ahead.

Musk's position at the head of DOGE has nothing to do with national security policy, so if correct the reports mark a major expansion of his role.

It also poses a potential conflict of interest, as the billionaire has business interests both in China and the Pentagon.

A gigafactory in Shanghai is the largest producer of his Tesla cars, pumping out almost a million each year.

The claims, aired on Thursday, provoked a round of furious denials from those involved.

Trump's Truth Social post on Thursday said: “They said, incorrectly, that Elon Musk is going to the Pentagon tomorrow to be briefed on any potential ‘war with China.'

“How ridiculous?' China will not even be mentioned or discussed. How disgraceful it is that the discredited media can make up such lies. Anyway, the story is completely untrue!!!”

Musk wrote on X: “The New York Times is pure propaganda,” in the early hours of Friday morning.

He added: “Also, I look forward to the prosecutions of those at the Pentagon who are leaking maliciously false information to NYT. They will be found.”

Sean Parnell, the Pentagon's chief spokesperson, said: “The Defense Department is excited to welcome Elon Musk to the Pentagon on Friday.

“He was invited by Secretary Hegseth and is just visiting.”;

He later blasted the “100 percent fake news“, adding: “[It is] just brazenly and maliciously wrong. Elon Musk is a patriot. We are proud to have him at the Pentagon.”

China vowed earlier this month that it was ready for “any type of war” against the States after Trump inflicted crippling trade tariffs on the country.

On March 4, tariffs on goods coming from China into the UIS doubled to 20 percent.

Trump promised more tariffs would follow in early April, including “reciprocal tariffs” and non-tariff actions addressing years of trade imbalances.

China's foreign affairs ministry shot back with a chilling warning.

It said: “If war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end.”

As the US drifts from Europe over Ukraine, experts fear that China will exploit the fragmentation and launch an attack on Taiwan.

Fears are that the weakening of Western alliances and the unpredictability of US foreign policy under Donald Trump could create the perfect atmosphere for Beijing to trigger an invasion.