Continuing story · 1 report

Pentagon Future-Warfare Review

First aired Latest aired

Gone quiet since

Where it stands

On September 30, 2026, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Project Meridian, a 120-day review of future warfare led by Emil Michael with Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey and Newt Gingrich as co-leaders. The review is underway; its findings, recommendations and the Pentagon’s response have not yet been reported.

Explore with HeyDex

Follow via RSS

Story trackerDay 1

1 report39 outlets50 sources2 videos

  • No dated events yet
  1. Update 1Musk and Luckey will help shape Pentagon warfare advice. What rules govern their interests?

The story so far

  1. Update 1

    Musk and Luckey will help shape Pentagon warfare advice. What rules govern their interests?

    Project Meridian brings military suppliers into a review of future warfare. Their roles are announced; the mandate, deadline and conflict-of-interest protections remain unverified.

    Still open after this report

    • The operative mandate, leadership powers, start date, binding deadline and Meridian-specific ethics protections remain unverified.

History

  1. Opened1 report

Who's involved

People

  • Elon MuskAmerican businessman (born 1971)1 report
  • Newt GingrichAmerican politician and former speaker of the United States House of Representatives1 report
  • Palmer LuckeyAmerican founder of Oculus VR and inventor of the Oculus Rift1 report
  • Pete HegsethUnited States Secretary of Defense1 report

Organizations

  • United States Armyland service branch of the United States Armed Forces1 report
  • United States Department of Defenseexecutive department of the United States federal government1 report

Places

  • Costa MesaCosta Mesa, CA, USA1 report
  • Marine Corps Base QuanticoMarine Corps Base Quantico, Quantico, VA, USA1 report

Every outlet we read on this story

50 sources38 outlets2 videos1 wire copy

Who reported what

24 points5 confirmed by two or more outlets18 from a single outlet0 disputed

What 6 outlets reported about this story, point by point, and who reported each point first.

Points more than one outlet reported

Each column is an outlet, in the order they first reported. Select a mark to read that outlet's wording.

  • Reported it first
  • Reported it
  • Repeated another outlet
  • Did not report it
PointC-SPANaxios.comThe GuardianABC News (Australia)CNNBreaking DefenseOutlets
Project Meridian’s future-warfare studyIndependently confirmed4
Elon Musk’s role in Project MeridianIndependently confirmed4
Newt Gingrich’s role in Project MeridianNot independently confirmed3
Project Meridian announcementIndependently confirmed2
Autonomous warfare command announcementIndependently confirmed2
Palmer Luckey’s role in Project MeridianIndependently confirmed2

Points only one outlet reported

Only reported by C-SPAN

Only reported by axios.com

Only reported by The Guardian

Only reported by ABC News (Australia)

Only reported by CNN

Only reported by Breaking Defense

Each line is the claim as we recorded it from that outlet's report. Compared as of .

Related coverage

  1. Same eventHegseth targets 20% top-brass cut—but the accounting is missing