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.

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,

Donald Trump has criticized a New York Times. story which claims Elon Musk is set to be briefed on top U.S. military war secrets. The Times story on Thursday reports Musk, the unelected, non-Senate confirmed head of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) who is neither in the military chain of command nor a military adviser to the president,