The rift forgotten? Elon Musk's surprising comeback to the Trump administration

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced a new advisory panel for the future of warfare, 'Project Meridian', and appointed Elon Musk as deputy chairman. The appointment raises serious concerns over conflicts of interest, as the panel advises the Pentagon, a major source of revenue for Musk's businesses. Musk's return to the Trump administration comes after a public clash between them last year and a reconciliation campaign that included extensive financial donations.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced the establishment of a new advisory panel called 'Project Meridian', aimed at shaping the future of American warfare. As part of the move, Hegseth brought back into the administration's fold Elon Musk, the world's richest man, who was appointed deputy chairman of the panel. The appointment raises serious concerns over severe conflicts of interest, as the panel advises the Pentagon, an agency that is a massive source of revenue for Musk's businesses. Musk's return to the Trump administration comes after his failed attempt to cut government spending last year, which ended in a highly publicized public clash with President Trump. Now, after a reconciliation campaign and extensive financial support for the campaign, Musk returns to Washington. Alongside Musk, another deputy chairman of the panel is Palmer Luckey, founder of the company 'Anduril', which recently won massive contracts from the US military. On the other hand, supporters of the appointment, including Newt Gingrich, dismissed the criticism. The Pentagon stated that the research organization 'MITRE' will oversee the activities and implement safeguards to prevent conflicts of interest. The project is expected to submit its final recommendations to the Secretary of Defense on January 28.