Defense Department spokesperson says MITRE leads Project Meridian's analysis and applies conflict-of-interest safeguards
United States Department of DefenseSpokesperson for the Department of Defense, in a statement to NPR
A Defense Department spokesperson tells NPR that MITRE is responsible for Project Meridian's analysis and recommendations and will evaluate all inputs with technical rigor while applying conflict-of-interest and information safeguards.
Responding to
Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey and other Project Meridian members have substantial financial interests in the outcome of the study's recommendations.
“MITRE is responsible for the analysis and recommendations, and will evaluate all inputs with technical rigor while applying appropriate conflict-of-interest and information safeguards”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Watchdog groups sue the Pentagon over Project Meridian, saying the Musk and Luckey 'Future of Warfare' panel breaks federal advisory committee law
CREW, Public Citizen and POGO say Project Meridian, the Pentagon study co-led by Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey and Newt Gingrich, is an advisory committee operating in secret without a charter or balanced membership. The Defense Department says MITRE applies conflict-of-interest safeguards.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
NPR report on conflict-of-interest questions about Project Meridian's leaders, with a written statement from a Defense Department spokesperson about MITRE's role and comments from ethics lawyer Richard Painter and unnamed current and former officials.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
NPR reports that Hegseth directed the department's chief technology officer, Emil Michael, to commission Project Meridian through the MITRE Corporation, a nonprofit that manages federally funded research across the country.
After the quotation
The spokesperson adds that the effort will examine the technologies and operational concepts needed to sustain U.S. military advantage over a 10 to 20 year horizon. NPR reports that the department did not respond to questions about Musk's and Luckey's potential conflicts of interest.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is the Defense Department's creation and operation of Project Meridian with Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey and Newt Gingrich at its head, which the plaintiffs say violates federal advisory committee law and critics say carries conflicts of interest. The statement presents the arrangement as protected from conflicts: MITRE, not the co-leads, is responsible for the analysis and recommendations and applies conflict-of-interest safeguards. It describes the study's structure favorably rather than engaging the critics, and NPR reports the department did not answer questions about Musk's and Luckey's potential conflicts.
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More from this case
Read the full caseProject On Government Oversight, in a statement by interim executive director Isabel Munilla, says stacking Project Meridian with industry leaders will skew national security policy
Project On Government Oversight
“Stacking Project Meridian with industry leaders will further skew national security policy toward corporate priorities, and away from the public interest.”Read statement
Public Citizen, in a statement by co-president Robert Weissman, says the law requires balance to stop insiders like Musk and Luckey from writing policy
Public Citizen
“That would simultaneously make the world more dangerous and starve funding for domestic and human needs. The law demands balance on advisory committees, precisely to prevent connected insiders like Musk and Luckey from writing policy at the expense of the public.”Read statement
CREW president Donald K. Sherman says Project Meridian must either comply with the Federal Advisory Committee Act or stop operating
“The Federal Advisory Committee Act sets clear requirements about transparency and avoiding conflicts of interest, and Project Meridian must either comply or stop operating.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Defense Department spokesperson says MITRE leads Project Meridian's analysis and applies conflict-of-interest safeguards". First published: 2026-11-03. Last updated: 2026-11-03. https://disputeindex.com/events/7835-a-defense-department-spokesperson-tells-npr-that-mitre