U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has announced that technology billionaire Elon Musk will once again serve in an official advisory role to the Donald Trump administration.
According to Hegseth, Musk will co-lead the Pentagon’s “Meridian Project” alongside Palmer Luckey, founder of defense technology company Anduril, and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
Hegseth described the initiative as an effort to assess the nature of future warfare, potential battlefields, and the advanced weapons and technologies the U.S. military may require in the coming decades.
The U.S. Department of Defense said the “Meridian Project” will look beyond current conflicts and examine the future impact of artificial intelligence, autonomous weapons, robotics, drones, space technology and other advanced military capabilities. It will also explore potential future battlefields ranging from underground environments to the space domain beyond the Moon.
According to Pentagon information, the project will be coordinated by Emil Michael, the department’s chief technology officer, and is expected to be completed within 120 days. It will conclude with a public report accompanied by a classified annex.
Musk previously held an official role in the Trump administration, working through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on efforts to reduce federal spending and streamline government agencies. He later became involved in a public dispute with Trump.
Musk’s return to an official role comes as his companies, as well as Luckey’s Anduril, hold contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense. As a result, some reports have raised questions about potential conflicts of interest surrounding the project.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
