Trump says US is ‘very well-equipped to handle’ a potential war with China

President Donald Trump said the US is ‘very well-equipped to handle’ a potential war with China, while denying reports that Elon Musk was set to be briefed on the matter.

Trump brought up the US’s preparedness when a reporter questioned him about Musk’s visit to the Pentagon and how the agenda for it may have changed.

‘I don’t want anybody seeing potential war with China,’ said Trump on Friday afternoon.

‘We don’t want to have a potential war with China, but I can tell you if we did, we’re very well-equipped to handle it.’

Trump continued that he would not want to share such information with Musk.

‘Certainly you wouldn’t show it to a businessman who is helping us so much, he’s a great patriot,’ the president said.

‘He’s taken, he’s paying a big price for helping us cut costs and he’s doing a great job, he’s finding tremendous waste, fraud and abuse.’

Trump pointed out that ‘Elon has businesses in China and he would be susceptible perhaps to that’.

Earlier on Friday, Musk had an 80-minute meeting with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the Pentagon.

The New York Times reported ahead of the meeting that Musk was expected to be at a briefing in the Tank secure conference room with military leaders about the US’s plans on any war that could start with China. Instead, he met in Hegseth’s office.

Trump called the Times report, which was confirmed by The Wall Street Journal, ‘such a fake story’.

Hegseth, who stood next to Trump in the Oval Office, also denied the report.

Outside the Pentagon, Musk shook hands with Hegseth and told him, before departing: ‘If there’s anything I can do to be helpful, I’d like to see you.’

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