ISTANBUL

The Pentagon has launched a polygraph investigation to track down the source of an alleged data leak following US billionaire Elon Musk’s criticism of officials for spreading "false information" about his military ties, Bloomberg reported on Saturday.

The probe was initiated after Joe Kasper, chief of staff to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, called for an inquiry into the "unauthorized disclosure" of sensitive national security details. Kasper also urged that those responsible be referred for criminal prosecution.

"The investigation into leaks will commence immediately and culminate in a report to the Secretary of Defense. The report will include a complete record of unauthorized disclosures within the Department of Defense and recommendations to improve such efforts," Kasper wrote in an internal memo published late Friday.

Musk, whose companies hold billions in defense contracts, visited the Pentagon on Friday to discuss cost-cutting and innovation.

However, controversy erupted even before his arrival, with The New York Times reporting that he was set to receive top-secret briefings on US military strategies in the event of a potential conflict with China.

The newspaper, citing multiple sources, raised concerns about Musk’s access to classified material, given his extensive business ties and previous remarks on Beijing, including his assertion that Taiwan is an integral part of China.

Despite the reports, President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth denied any plans to grant Musk such high-level intelligence access.

Amid mounting scrutiny, Musk took to his platform X, calling for legal action against Pentagon officials leaking what he described as misleading information to the media.