Elon Musk is set to return to an official advisory role in the US government, joining a Pentagon-led project examining the future of warfare.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Musk as one of three co-leaders of Project Meridian, a study designed to identify emerging technologies and capabilities that could shape how the United States conducts warfare.
Hegseth made the announcement during a speech at the Quantico military base, describing the initiative as “an effort led by America’s best minds to study the future of warfare.”
“We are leveraging a unique source of American advantage, one our adversaries do not have: our innovators, our senior leaders and our technologists,” Hegseth said.
Musk will lead the project alongside Palmer Luckey, the 34-year-old co-founder of defence technology company Anduril Industries, and Newt Gingrich, the 83-year-old former Republican Speaker of the US House of Representatives.
Musk Returning to Trump Administration
The appointment marks Musk’s return to an official advisory role in President Donald Trump’s administration after his earlier involvement with the government.
Musk previously headed the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, before leaving the administration in May 2025.
His departure followed a highly publicised fallout with Trump, despite Musk having been a prominent supporter of Trump’s return to the White House.
The two men later clashed publicly over Trump’s spending legislation.
Musk subsequently resumed financial support for Republican candidates and conservative political organisations, including multimillion-dollar contributions.
