Elon Musk joined Trump-Modi call on US-Israel war on Iran
NEW YORK: The New York Times (NYT) reported on Friday evening that Elon Musk, the billionaire businessman, joined a call between President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a close ally of Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu, regarding the escalating Middle East war.
The newspaper called Musk’s participation was “notable” because it is rare for a private citizen to be on a call between heads of state, and suggested that the world’s richest man is now back on better terms with the president.
The two men had a falling out last summer following Musk’s departure from the government, where he had been tasked with slashing the work force, the report said, adding they appear to have smoothed things over in recent months.
In New Delhi, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs asserted the call on March 24, 2026, was strictly between President Trump and PM Modi, calling the NYT report “inaccurate” and “not based on facts,” claiming that no third party was involved in the conversation.
But the Times said the inclusion of Musk was confirmed by two U.S. officials, who, it said, asked for anonymity.
“It is unclear why Mr. Musk was on the call or whether he spoke,” the Times said. His companies have taken on significant investment from sovereign wealth funds in countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, it was pointed out. Musk has also long coveted a greater commercial presence in India. And SpaceX, his private rocket company, has been considering an initial public offering later this year, which could be thrown into turmoil if global economic conditions worsen, the report added.
The call, American and Indian officials have said, was about the escalating crisis in the Middle East, and in particular the Iranian military’s control of the Strait of Hormuz, which is critical for the shipping of oil and gas around the globe. The halt to most maritime traffic through the strait has led to surging energy prices worldwide and roiled markets. Some Asian nations are on the verge of having to ration fuel.
“Ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, secure and accessible is essential for the whole world. We agreed to stay in touch regarding efforts towards peace and stability,” Modi wrote on social media on Tuesday.
Neither government mentioned the inclusion of Musk in the official readouts or interviews, the newspaper pointed out.
While he helped elect Trump and played a significant role in cutting the federal bureaucracy last year, Musk does not have a government position. In the first months of the administration, he had the title of “special government employee” while overseeing a group known as DOGE that tried to make deep cuts to federal operations and spending, which led to tensions between Musk and other senior Trump aides.
According to the Times, Musk did not return multiple requests for comment this week, and the White House declined to comment.
“President Trump has a great relationship with Prime Minister Modi, and this was a productive conversation,” said Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary.
“It is relatively rare for the White House to include private citizens on calls between heads of state because sensitive matters involving national security are often discussed,” The Times commented. “As with many norms, Mr. Trump has chosen his own path on this matter: Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, has no official U.S. government role and yet has been tasked with negotiations in the Middle East, where Mr. Kushner has business interests, and on Russia’s war in Ukraine,” it added. APP
