Elon Musk joins PM Modi and Trump's call on Iran conflict in rare wartime move: Report

Elon Musk participated in a phone call on Tuesday between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the escalating Iran crisis, in what was an unusual involvement of a private citizen in a wartime discussion between two heads of state, according to a report by the New York Times.

The inclusion of Musk was confirmed by two U.S. officials, quoted by NYT anonymously, as they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly. The report noted that his presence on the call signals that Musk and Trump appear to have repaired ties after a falling out last year following the billionaire’s exit from a government role.

Neither the US nor Indian government mentioned Musk’s participation in their official readouts of the conversation, which focused on the intensifying situation in the Middle East, particularly Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy chokepoint.


You may follow our coverage of the West Asia war here

“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 had written on social media after the call.

It remains unclear why Musk was included or whether he spoke during the conversation, the NYT report said. His business interests, however, span the Middle East and India. Companies linked to Musk have received significant investments from sovereign wealth funds in countries such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, while his ventures have been seeking expanded commercial opportunities in India.

Moreover, SpaceX, Musk’s private rocket company, has been considering an initial public offering later this year: a move that could be affected by global market volatility triggered by the crisis.

The call itself came amid growing concerns over disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, where halted maritime traffic has driven up global energy prices and raised fears of fuel shortages in parts of Asia.

While Musk played a prominent role in Trump’s political orbit last year, including a stint as a “special government employee” tasked with cutting federal bureaucracy, he currently holds no official government position. His earlier involvement in government restructuring efforts had reportedly caused friction with senior aides.

Also read: Trump refers to Strait of Hormuz as 'Strait of Trump', says there are 'no accidents' with him

The White House declined to comment on Musk’s inclusion in the call. “President Trump has a great relationship with Prime Minister Modi, and this was a productive conversation,” said press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

The NYT noted that it is relatively rare for private citizens to be included in leader-level calls involving sensitive national security matters. However, Trump has previously involved close associates in diplomatic roles, including his son-in-law Jared Kushner, who has participated in negotiations in the Middle East and on the Russia-Ukraine conflict despite lacking a formal government position.

On his social media platform X, Musk has largely stayed quiet on the Iran conflict. In one post last week, responding to concerns over global reliance on the Strait of Hormuz, he wrote: “We got lazy.”