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Elon Musk on Saturday rejected claims that he had extensively used ketamine and other drugs during the 2024 campaign trail.
The New York Times reported on Friday that the billionaire adviser to President Donald Trump consumed such large amounts of ketamine—a potent anaesthetic—that he developed bladder issues. The article also alleged Musk took ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms, and travelled with a pill box in 2024. It remained unclear whether he continued using drugs while leading the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) after Trump assumed office in January.
In a post on X on Saturday, Musk wrote: “To be clear, I am NOT taking drugs! The New York Times was lying their arse off.”
He added, “I tried ‘prescription’ ketamine a few years ago and said so on X, so this isn’t even news. It helped me out of dark mental holes, but I haven’t taken it since.”
On Friday, Musk avoided answering a question about the drug claims during a bizarre farewell appearance with Trump in the Oval Office. Sporting a visible black eye, the Tesla and SpaceX boss formally stepped down from his role as Trump’s chief cost-cutter at DOGE, the agency responsible for sacking tens of thousands of civil servants.
The injury attracted wide attention, especially coming just after the Times report. The newspaper also recalled previous incidents of erratic behaviour, including Musk giving what appeared to be an enthusiastic Nazi-style salute at a January rally celebrating Trump’s second inauguration.
Musk later explained that he had sustained the injury while playing with his young son, named X. “I told him to punch me in the face,” Musk said. “And he did. Turns out even a five-year-old punching you in the face actually is…” he added, before trailing off.
When a reporter asked Trump later that day whether he was aware of Musk’s alleged drug use, the former president replied, “I wasn’t.”
“I think Elon is a fantastic guy,” Trump added.
Musk has previously admitted to using ketamine under prescription to treat a “negative frame of mind”, and has even suggested that controlled drug use enhanced his productivity.
