Musk returns to Trump world for Pentagon war study

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Anduril Industries founder Palmer Luckey and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will lead a Pentagon study of the future of warfare dubbed "Project Meridian," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday. Why it matters: It's Musk's first official role advising the Trump administration since his very public feud last year with President Trump after departing DOGE. He has since reconciled with Trump. Driving the news: Hegseth unveiled Meridian on Wednesday during his second address at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. "We are leveraging a unique source of American advantage, one our adversaries do not have: our innovators, our senior leaders and our technologists — big thinkers and doers who will forecast the creative solution for tomorrow's conflicts," Hegseth said. Meridian, he added, is not meant to produce new policy documents. Instead, it will examine "the domains we must conquer, and capabilities we must master." "Their work will be focused on discovering, developing and fielding the weapons and systems that our children and our grandchildren will need in their lifetimes." Zoom in: Pentagon technology chief Emil Michael will help facilitate the project. Michael, speaking to reporters in December about America's industrial base, said he would like to see "five more Andurils and Palantirs and SpaceXs" flourish. Follow the money: Musk's and Luckey's respective companies have big Pentagon contracts. SpaceX serves as America's national-security launch backbone, while Anduril furnishes jammers, interceptors, rocket motors and robo-wingmen. What's next: The Meridian leadership was expected to meet for the first time on Wednesday. Final findings are expected in 120 days, Hegseth said. A public rollout is planned, along with a classified report. Go deeper: Hegseth to generals: Embrace MAGA military or quit

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