1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

The planned Pentagon briefing for Elon Musk on potential war plans with China raises serious concerns about conflicts of interest and the inappropriate disclosure of highly classified information. As a prominent business leader with financial interests in China, granting Musk access to closely guarded military secrets regarding potential military operations against that country would be an egregious breach of protocols. Such sensitive operational plans are meant to safeguard national security interests, and sharing them with private citizens who are not bound by confidentiality requirements risks compromising strategic advantages. This proposed briefing undermines principles of civilian control over the military and threatens to erode public trust in institutions tasked with protecting America's defense capabilities. Providing this level of access to an individual with clear monetary incentives tied to the subject matter represents an unacceptable lapse in judgement that must be immediately rescinded to uphold democratic norms and preserve operational security. The Pentagon should reconsider its role as an apolitical institution singularly focused on defending the nation rather than serving the interests of corporate entities.