Elon Musk returns as a Trump adviser, takes a leading role in the Pentagon project on the future of war

Tech billionaire Elon Musk will officially return as an adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, taking a role in a Pentagon project aimed at studying the future of war.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday at the Quantico military base the launch of “Project Meridian,” an initiative that, according to him, will focus on using technology and innovation to analyze future developments in the military field.

Musk will co-lead the project together with Palmer Luckey, co-founder of the defense technology company Anduril Industries, and former Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich.

Musk previously headed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he oversaw job cuts in the federal administration, before leaving the post in May 2025.

His companies currently hold major contracts with the Pentagon. SpaceX is involved in developing satellite networks for the “Golden Dome” missile defense program, while the artificial intelligence company xAI has signed an agreement allowing the U.S. military to use the Grok chatbot in classified systems.

Musk backed Trump during the 2024 presidential elections and played a role in his campaign, but the two later clashed publicly over an administration spending bill.

However, relations between them have improved and Musk has reappeared at the White House, although less frequently compared with the period when he served in the Trump administration.