Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced at SpaceX’s Starbase that he plans an "Elon‑style" overhaul of Pentagon bureaucracy to speed delivery of battlefield capabilities, saying he has already sworn in additional military staff. He also revealed plans to deploy Musk’s Grok AI alongside Google models across Pentagon networks, even as Grok faces controversy over reports of sexualized images of children and temporary blocks in Malaysia and Indonesia. Hegseth framed the moves as urgent steps to provide lethal, mission‑focused technology to U.S. forces and also spoke at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth facility about strengthening defense production.
Hegseth Vows 'Elon‑Style' Pentagon Overhaul, Plans Grok AI Rollout Despite Controversy
Pete Hegseth meets Elon Musk at SpaceX. / screen grab
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he will adopt an "Elon‑style" approach to trim bureaucracy and accelerate procurement at the Pentagon, announcing the plan during a stop at SpaceX’s Starbase as part of his "Arsenal of Freedom" industry tour.
Hegseth said he wanted to channel Elon Musk's DOGE program in the Pentagon. / Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag
Starbase Visit and Overhaul Pitch
At the SpaceX facility in Texas, Hegseth framed his month‑long trip as a "call to action to revitalize" U.S. defense manufacturing and the defense workforce. He repeatedly emphasized urgency in equipping service members: swearing in "10 more" military staff that day, he said, "I demand, and we demand that we arm our war fighters with overwhelming and lethal technology right now. Not a decade from now."
Hegseth even promised to wield a chainsaw
“This is about building an innovation pipeline that cuts through the overgrown bureaucratic underbrush, and clears away the debris, Elon‑style, preferably with a chainsaw,” Hegseth told SpaceX employees.
References To Musk's Short‑Lived Initiative
Hegseth compared his planned reforms to the approach Elon Musk took when attempting to reorganize federal spending and bureaucracy through a short‑lived Department of Government Efficiency initiative. Coverage of that effort sometimes used the shorthand "DOGE." Hegseth said he intends to streamline processes to speed development and fielding of mission‑critical systems.
Pete Hegseth is on a nationwide tour to revitalize America's defense manufacturing industry. / Fort Worth Star-Telegram / TNS
AI Plans And Concerns
Hegseth also announced plans to integrate Musk’s generative AI tool Grok alongside Google’s models on Pentagon networks, saying the department would adopt models judged "factually accurate, mission relevant, without ideological constraints that limit lawful military applications." He added that the department's AI would not be "woke" and should support warfighting requirements.
The Grok rollout comes amid controversy: media reports say users of the tool were able to generate sexualized images of children, prompting temporary blocks of the service in Malaysia and Indonesia. The U.K. media regulator Ofcom has opened an inquiry into X, the platform associated with Musk, over related content‑moderation concerns.
Additional Engagements
Earlier the same day, Hegseth spoke at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth plant, where F‑35s and other aircraft are produced, emphasizing a broader plan to bolster domestic defense production and accelerate delivery timelines.
Context and Attribution: This article reports on public remarks and announcements by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and on coverage of Elon Musk’s recent initiatives and associated controversies. Quotations and reported developments are attributed to the officials and media reports cited during the events described.
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