Hegseth appoints Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey and Newt Gingrich to lead Pentagon warfare study

Sep 30, 2026

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced the launch of Project Meridian, a 120-day Pentagon initiative to study the future of warfare. The project will be co-led by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Anduril Industries co-founder Palmer Luckey, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Operating under Pentagon technology chief Emil Michael, the panel is tasked with identifying next-generation weapons and domains of conflict. The announcement, delivered alongside the creation of a new Autonomous Warfare Command, marks Musk's return to Trump administration circles following a public feud in 2025.

Project Meridian leadership

▪The first meeting of the Project Meridian leadership team took place on September 30, 2026, in a sensitive compartmented information facility directly following Pete Hegseth's "State of the Force" address
▪Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Project Meridian leadership team will work under the direction of Pentagon Chief Technology Officer and Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Emil Michael
▪Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appointed SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Anduril Industries co-founder Palmer Luckey, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich to co-lead Project Meridian

Project Meridian mandate and objectives

▪On September 30, 2026, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered his State of the Force address at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, to junior officers and enlisted service members, announcing the Pentagon's Project Meridian to study future warfare
▪Project Meridian is mandated to study the battlefields of the future and identify emerging domains of warfare and necessary weapons systems, with findings due to Pete Hegseth by January 28, 2027

Elon Musk's advisory history

▪Elon Musk's appointment to Project Meridian marks his first official advisory role with the Trump administration since his public feud and split with President Donald Trump over the "Big Beautiful Bill" in 2025
▪Elon Musk previously served as a special government employee leading the Department of Government Efficiency for a 130-day statutory limit

Debatable claims

▪Appointing active defense contractors to lead Pentagon planning poses an unacceptable conflict of interest
▪Outside tech innovators are better equipped than military leaders to forecast the future of warfare
▪The U.S. military should establish a dedicated combatant command for autonomous and robotic warfare