Elon Musk and Pete Hegseth to meet as US pushes to boost defense production

US President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk may be moving toward repairing their strained relationship after a public fallout in 2025 that led Musk to step away from his role as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

As part of that shift, Musk is set to meet US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at SpaceX headquarters in Texas.

 The meeting is scheduled as part of Hegseth’s “arsenal of freedom” tour, an initiative aimed at strengthening the US defense industrial base.

The tour aims to connect government leaders with private companies to encourage faster production and innovation in weapons systems and military technology. 

However, the timing is notable as it comes shortly after the United States Space Force awarded more than $700 million in taxpayer-funded contracts to SpaceX for missile warning and tracking services.

Notably, Musk previously exited the DOGE initiative earlier than planned after clashing with Trump over government spending priorities. 

During that period, Musk also posted controversial remarks about Trump on X (formerly Twitter), including a claim later deleted and followed by a public apology.

That said, signs of reconciliation emerged recently when Musk and Trump were seen seated together at the funeral of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. 

Earlier this week, Trump further hinted at renewed cooperation by suggesting he may work with Musk to help restore internet access in Iran.