Elon Musk has set his sights on NATO, calling for a "fundamental overhaul" of the military alliance as global tensions escalate.
His comment, posted on his platform X, came after U.S. Senator Mike Lee called NATO “outdated” in the post-Cold War era.
“NATO needs a fundamental overhaul,” Musk wrote, without giving details on what that should look like.
According to WP Tech, Musk has criticized U.S. military spending for years, arguing that too much money is wasted on slow, inefficient weapons programs. He has pointed to projects like the F-35 fighter jet and the U.S. Navy’s shipbuilding plans as examples of outdated thinking.
His comments come as major global threats continue to grow:
China now has over 500 nuclear warheads, and that number could double by 2030, according to a U.S. defense report.
Russia is rebuilding its military while allegedly ignoring nuclear arms control agreements.
North Korea is improving its nuclear weapons and military technology while helping Russia in Ukraine.
Iran has stepped up its attacks on U.S. bases and Israel.
Musk’s comments come as Donald Trump pushes for big NATO reforms. The U.S. president is demanding that NATO members increase their defense spending to 5% of GDP, much higher than the current 2% goal.
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance has suggested that U.S. support for NATO could depend on the EU loosening its digital regulations—which would directly benefit Musk’s X platform.
Is Musk Eyeing a Bigger Role in Defense?
Musk is already deeply involved in military technology through SpaceX, Starlink, and Tesla’s AI systems. His Starlink satellites have played a key role in Ukraine’s defense, helping keep communications running on the battlefield.
Now, by criticizing NATO, Musk may be signaling a bigger role in shaping global defense policies. Whether that means advising governments, modernizing military tech, or just pushing for reform, remains to be seen.
