The Pentagon taps Elon Musk and Palmer Luckey to help decide what the military should do next

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has launched a 120-day review of the future of warfare, with Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey, and Newt Gingrich helping guide the effort. The choice aligns with their influence in defense technology circles, but critics may question whether conflicts of interest are unavoidable because Musk’s and Luckey’s companies sell systems the study could endorse.

The move highlights the Pentagon’s growing reliance on private-sector technologists as it weighs AI, drones, space systems, and autonomous weapons. It also underscores a broader tension in defense modernization: bringing in industry insiders can accelerate innovation, but it may blur the line between strategic advice and market opportunity.