Musk visits National Security Agency after urging 'overhaul' of U.S. cyberespionage hub
Elon Musk paid an unannounced visit to the National Security Agency on Wednesday and met with its chief, days after he called for an "overhaul" of the U.S.'s top cyberespionage hub.
Elon Musk paid an unannounced visit to the National Security Agency on Wednesday and met with its chief, an NSA spokesperson said, days after he called for revamping the country’s top cyberespionage hub.
It was Musk’s first publicly confirmed visit to an intelligence agency since he launched the Trump administration’s effort to drastically slash the federal workforce.
The NSA is one of the country’s most valuable tools for collecting intelligence, according to experts, overseeing a vast eavesdropping operation, as well as sophisticated cybersecurity capabilities.
Musk, the billionaire businessman who has come under criticism for his aggressive tactics and sweeping secrecy, posted on his social media platform, X, last week, “The NSA needs an overhaul.” Musk’s post and his visit suggested the long secretive agency, known as the “puzzle palace” for its famed codebreaking abilities, may be next.
The National Security Agency at Fort Meade, Md.Patrick Semansky / AP fileDuring his visit to the NSA’s headquarters at Fort Meade, Maryland, Musk held talks with Air Force Gen. Timothy Haugh, who oversees the agency, as well as the military’s Cyber Command, the spokesperson said. Musk was also given a tour of the NSA’s Remote Operations Center, according to a source with knowledge of the matter.
Rating: 5