Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Project Meridian on September 30, 2026, as a 120-day Pentagon initiative to assess future warfare domains, emerging technologies, and capability gaps, with findings due no later than January 28, 2027. Elon Musk was named one of three co-leads alongside Palmer Luckey and Newt Gingrich, operating under Chief Technology Officer Emil Michael and drawing on external experts. The structure positions the role as a fixed-term advisory effort tied directly to the project's timeline rather than an open-ended appointment. As of mid-October, official statements and subsequent reporting have shown no changes to the leadership or indications of Musk's removal, supporting trader expectations that the arrangement will hold through the January deadline.