Elon Musk is hitting back hard at fresh allegations that he’s been abusing ketamine and other drugs while working closely with Donald Trump.
A scathing report from The New York Times claimed the billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO was taking so much ketamine last year that it caused bladder issues and that he also dabbled in ecstasy and mushrooms while carrying a pillbox on the 2024 campaign trail. But Musk isn’t having it. In a fiery post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, “To be clear, I am NOT taking drugs! The New York Times was lying their ass off.”
😂💯
Also, to be clear, I am NOT taking drugs! The New York Times was lying their ass off.
I tried *prescription* ketamine a few years ago and said so on 𝕏, so this not even news. It helps for getting out of dark mental holes, but haven’t taken it since then.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 31, 2025
The Times report raised eyebrows for suggesting Musk may have been under the influence while leading the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a role Trump handed him after taking office in January 2024. Musk supposedly helped slash thousands of federal jobs during his controversial stint. But Musk insists the drug claims are overblown and misleading. “I tried ‘prescription’ ketamine a few years ago and said so on X, so this is not even news,” he posted. “It helps for getting out of dark mental holes, but I haven’t taken it since then.”
He didn’t dodge the topic entirely when questioned during a bizarre farewell with Trump in the Oval Office on Friday, his last day as the DOGE head. Sporting a black eye, Musk appeared next to Trump but gave no clear response about his drug use. The bruise added fuel to the speculation fire, coming just hours after the Times exposé. Musk later explained the injury came from roughhousing with his young son, X. “I told him to hit me in the face. And he did,” Musk admitted. “Turns out even a five-year-old punching you in the face actually is…” he trailed off.
The drama didn’t stop there. When asked by reporters later if he knew about Musk’s alleged “regular drug use,” Trump simply said, “I didn’t.” Still, he stood by Musk, calling him a “fantastic guy.”
This isn’t the first time Musk has mentioned using ketamine. He previously admitted he was prescribed it to treat what he called a “negative frame of mind,” even suggesting it helped boost his creativity and productivity. But he now insists he hasn’t touched the drug in years and that the current controversy is just recycled headlines disguised as revelations.
The report also revisited a string of Musk’s past erratic behaviors, including the time he reportedly gave a Nazi-style salute during a public appearance in 2023. The Times used this and other incidents to question whether his behavior might be linked to substance use. Musk hasn’t addressed that moment directly but has continued to portray himself as misunderstood rather than impaired.
Despite all the noise, Musk’s defenders argue he’s just being Elon, unorthodox, unpredictable, and deeply private about his mental health struggles. But with a potential return to a more public political role and several major projects in motion at SpaceX, Tesla, and Neuralink, the renewed scrutiny around his personal life is unlikely to fade anytime soon.
Whether or not you believe the drug use claims, one thing is clear, Elon Musk won’t stay silent when he feels attacked. Especially when the claims hit close to home and threaten to overshadow his empire.
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