WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has initiated a polygraph investigation to identify the source of a reported leak involving national security information following criticism from billionaire Elon Musk over what he called “false information” about his ties to the U.S. military, Bloomberg reported Saturday.

The inquiry was ordered after Joe Kasper, chief of staff to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, demanded action over the alleged “unauthorized disclosure” of sensitive defense information.

Kasper called for criminal prosecution of those responsible and emphasized the seriousness of the breach.

“The investigation into leaks will commence immediately and culminate in a report to the Secretary of Defense,” Kasper said in an internal memo obtained by Bloomberg.

“The report will include a complete record of unauthorized disclosures within the Department of Defense and recommendations to improve such efforts.”

Musk, whose companies SpaceX and Tesla hold substantial U.S. defense contracts, visited the Pentagon on Friday to discuss innovation and cost-efficiency.

However, the visit sparked controversy after The New York Times reported that Musk was expected to receive top-secret briefings on U.S. military strategy, including scenarios involving potential conflict with China.

Citing unnamed sources, the report raised concerns about Musk’s access to classified material, particularly due to his business dealings in China and previous remarks suggesting Taiwan was part of China — a position aligned with Beijing’s narrative.

Both President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth publicly denied the report’s claims, asserting that Musk was not given access to any high-level intelligence.

Musk responded by denouncing the reports on his platform X, accusing unnamed Pentagon officials of leaking misleading information and calling for legal action. — Agencies