In a rather dramatic turn of events, it appears that Elon Musk was on the verge of receiving a clandestine briefing at the Pentagon regarding the U.S. military strategy toward China. However, after The New York Times published an article insinuating that Musk had access to classified information, the White House swiftly canceled the briefing, prompting a heated reaction from former President Trump.
In the Oval Office, Trump expressed his frustration:
“Elon has operations in China, and that might make him vulnerable, but this story is utterly false. The New York Times is just as unreliable as CNN and MSDNC. People laughed off that article. I immediately called Susie and Pete to check if there was any truth to it, and they assured me it was ridiculous. He was there to discuss costs—perhaps you should address that, Pete?”
Pete Hegseth weighed in, confirming Trump’s remarks: “Absolutely right, Mr. President. We noted that this was a fabricated story intended to undermine the Pentagon’s relationship with Elon Musk. Musk is a patriot and an innovator, providing essential capabilities for our government and military. We welcomed him to the Pentagon to discuss DOGE, efficiencies, and innovations. The rest of that reporting was false—there were no war plans, no secret operations. That wasn’t our business at the Pentagon.”
Trump interjected once more:
“Let me add that if there were ever a situation like that, I believe Elon wouldn’t engage in it. He wouldn’t want to find himself in such a predicament. But if you read The New York Times, it’s a consistently dishonest publication, filled with garbage. It used to be known for reporting ‘all the news that’s fit to print,’ but now it’s more like ‘all the news that’s not fit to print.’ They have fake sources or no sources at all; they seem to fabricate most of their content. This was just another made-up story by The New York Times, which I label as the failing paper—it’s failing, and they shouldn’t behave this way. They are truly the enemy of the people.”
“We need honest journalism. We’ve made significant strides over the last couple of months, but we still lack genuine reporting. I watch CNN occasionally just to gauge their perspective, and it’s so dishonest. I suspect MSNBC is probably worse. Their ratings are plummeting, and I think they may soon be switched off entirely.”
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It’s noteworthy that the President of the United States was seemingly unaware that a private individual was about to be briefed on classified matters, necessitating calls to his chief of staff and the defense secretary for clarification. If Trump’s claims hold any truth, it suggests a concerning disconnect regarding the happenings within his own administration.
The vehement denial from Trump and Hegseth, combined with Trump’s historical pattern of labeling factual reports as ‘fake news,’ raises questions about the accuracy of their statements, thereby lending credibility to The New York Times’ report.
When Trump referenced the strides made in media over the past two months, he appeared to allude to his administration’s efforts to dominate the White House press pool and the self-censorship seen in mainstream media, alongside a troubling trend of press freedom restrictions.
Trump’s impassioned outburst resembled the ramblings of a concerned elder rather than those of a sitting president. The implications for America’s national security seem precarious, and no amount of ‘fake news’ rhetoric can obscure the unsettling scene that unfolded in the Oval Office last Friday.
What are your thoughts on Trump’s emotional response? Share your comments below.
