“Given Project Meridian’s purpose to ‘map the trajectory of future warfare,’ the views of its members do not approach fair balance,” the lawsuit says, adding that the panel has no meaningful representation from anyone advocating restraint in military assets.
Three government watchdog groups filed a federal lawsuit on November 13 challenging Project Meridian, an advisory committee established by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to identify the military’s future weapons and technology needs, according to the Military Times.
The complaint argues that the Defense Department assembled the task force in violation of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, which mandates transparency, balanced membership, and public input to prevent conflicts of interest. The lawsuit lands as Hegseth faces congressional impeachment efforts and attempts to retain his position following the Iran war debacle, The Daily Beast reported.
Hegseth appointed conservative politician Newt Gingrich alongside Elon Musk and Palmer Luckey to direct the panel. According to the complaint, Musk’s SpaceX holds approximately $8 billion in defense contracts, while Luckey’s Anduril Industries holds around $25 billion.
Other participants include executives from Oracle, autonomous shipbuilder Saronic Technologies, Hadrian Automation, and Agility Robotics. “Stacking Project Meridian with industry leaders will further skew national security policy toward corporate priorities, and away from the public interest,” the Project on Government Oversight said.
“FACA sets clear requirements about transparency and avoiding conflicts of interest,” said Max Sherman, president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, one of the plaintiffs. He argued that the Defense Department must either comply with those rules or disband the project.
The lawsuit alleges that the Pentagon failed to publish a Federal Register notice allowing public review and comment. It also claims the agency neglected to consult the General Services Administration regarding whether the project serves the public interest.
Plaintiffs assert that members without direct financial stakes do not provide fair balance. Their experience remains largely limited to working with companies already represented on the panel or advancing the administration’s political agenda.
The committee is tasked with submitting a 30-page report of its findings by January 28. The Defense Department also commissioned the research nonprofit Mitre Corporation to help coordinate the initiative.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment, The Daily Beast reported.
