Donald Trump admits Elon Musk 'shouldn't receive war plans' in awkward comments during Oval Office meeting
Trump admitted there are some concerns amid backlash over Elon Musk's Pentagon visit
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The president has admitted some restrictions would be applied to his billionaire buddy in the event of war.
Donald Trump is apparently not sharing everything with his right-hand man and so-called 'First Buddy,' Elon Musk.
On Friday (March 21), President Trump said that war plans wouldn't be shared with Musk because of the Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder's business interests.
It is a rare insight that suggests the world's richest man and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) would face some restrictions from the administration - and appears to suggest Trump shares concerns about Musk juggling the corporate world and government responsibilities.
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The comments came during an Oval Office meeting where the POTUS discussed the development of a new fighter jet, the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD), and awarded Boeing a huge $20 billion contract to bring it to life.
The president shrugged off suggestions that Musk would be informed and briefed on how the US would fight a hypothetical war with China.
He said: "Elon has businesses in China. And he would be susceptible, perhaps, to that.”
Musk's electric vehicle manufacturer, Tesla, is trying to expand sales and production in China, reports Time.
But the discussion turned to war amid increasing fears of World War 3 looming, with the likes of China, Pakistan, India, Israel, and North Korea reportedly stockpiling nuclear weapons recently.
Meanwhile, Taiwan's president and top chipmaker at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) recently announced investing $100 billion in the US which critics think forms a 'protection fee' amid the country's own war fears with China.
And that's not considering the ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
While Moscow and Kyiv have agreed to a 30-day ceasefire after talks with the POTUS, Europe is less optimistic and is bracing for an 'unthinkable' Russian strike.
Trump has previously shrugged off questions about any potential conflicts of interest with Musk who visited the Pentagon on Friday to discuss yet more DOGE cuts to the federal government.
A senior defense official said on Tuesday that around 50,000 to 60,000 civilian jobs will be axed from the Defense Department.
When leaving the meeting, Musk said he was prepared to do 'anything that could be helpful'.
As for the new fighter jet, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and General David Allvin, chief of staff of the US Air Force said it would be named the F-47 and presents the 'next generation of modern aerial warfare.'
Hegseth added the new fleet 'sends a very clear, direct message to our allies that we’re not going anywhere, and to our enemies that we will be able to project power around the globe unimpeded for generations to come'.