Planning for a war with China has dominated Pentagon thinking for decades, well before a possible confrontation with Beijing became more conventional wisdom on Capitol Hill. The United States has built its Air Forces, Navy and Space Forces — and even more recently its Marines and Army forces — with a possible fight against China in mind.

The meeting with Musk was initiated by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to a U.S. official. But Hegseth and President Donald Trump denied that the focus would be on China.

Billionaire Elon Musk, U.S. President Donald Trump's close ally, is due to be briefed on Friday by the Pentagon on the U.S. military's plan for any war that might break out with China, the New York Times reported on Thursday,