Hegseth Appoints Elon Musk and Palmer Luckey to Project Meridian

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth established Project Meridian, a new Pentagon initiative tasked with studying the future of warfare and identifying military readiness gaps for the next 20 years. Hegseth appointed Elon Musk and Palmer Luckey as co-directors of the panel, which also includes venture capitalists and defense industry executives. The group aims to modernize the military through the integration of drones and autonomous technology.

The appointments have drawn criticism due to potential conflicts of interest, as Musk's SpaceX and Luckey's Anduril hold multi-billion dollar defense contracts. Critics suggest the co-directors could shape recommendations to favor their own companies' products. In response, the Pentagon stated that the nonprofit Mitre Corporation will oversee the panel's analysis to maintain technical rigor and implement information safeguards.

Former Republican House speaker Newt Gingrich, also a co-director of the project, defended the appointments against conflict-of-interest claims. The panel is required to submit its final recommendations to the Pentagon by January 28.