Trump News 1/13/26-Pete Hegseth Meets With Elon Musk At SpaceX Headquarters, Discuss Military Technology
Jan 13, 2026
Pete Hegseth, a Senior Pentagon official, dives deep into military innovation alongside Elon Musk at SpaceX. They explore transforming the Department of War with cutting-edge technologies like AI, hypersonics, and biotech. Hegseth emphasizes the need for a cultural shift within the Pentagon to enhance acquisition processes and rapidly deploy modern capabilities. He also announces the introduction of a Chief Technology Officer to unify military innovation efforts, all while discussing the crucial role of private capital in modern defense strategy.
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Starbase As A Star Trek Factory
- Elon Musk framed SpaceX's purpose as turning Star Trek-like visions into reality with spaceships and interplanetary travel.
- Pete Hegseth echoed that vision while touring Starbase Texas and praised SpaceX's manufacturing scale.
Centralize Technical Authority Under One CTO
- Appoint a single Chief Technology Officer to set technical direction and hold the ecosystem accountable.
- Give that CTO authority to direct components and report daily on progress toward innovation outcomes.
Use Pace-Setting Projects With Single Owners
- Run seven pace-setting AI projects with one accountable leader each and monthly progress reporting.
- Use rapid iterations and operational feedback to produce measurable, warfighting results quickly.