Elon Musk is set to re-engage with the U.S. government as a co-leader of a Pentagon study focused on the future of warfare. The announcement was made at a speech by Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth at the Quantico military base, where the initiative, named "Project Meridian," was introduced as a collaborative effort between government and private sector experts.

Musk, the tech billionaire and former head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), had left his post in May 2025 following a public disagreement with then-President Donald Trump. Despite their later falling out over Trump’s spending policies, Musk continued to support Republican candidates and conservative political groups through significant donations.

Project Meridian aims to harness the expertise of America’s top innovators, senior leaders, and technologists to examine emerging warfare domains and develop capabilities that will maintain U.S. advantage over adversaries. Hegseth emphasized the unique opportunity to draw on private sector innovation alongside government resources in adapting to future military challenges.

In addition to Musk, the project will be co-led by Palmer Luckey, co-founder of defense technology firm Anduril Industries, and Newt Gingrich, the former Republican House speaker. The team will also include selected experts from innovation, academic, and policy sectors, reflecting a broad approach to studying evolving threats and opportunities in national defense.

Hegseth directed that the findings of Project Meridian be finalized within 120 days, underscoring the urgency of shaping defense strategies in a rapidly changing technological and geopolitical environment.