Elon Musk was using a cocktail of drugs while on the campaign trail, as his chaotic personal life began affecting his professional activities, according to a bombshell New York Times report. Musk entered politics as President Donald Trump's firebrand ally, brought in to cut down federal bureaucracy.
However, just four months into his government role, the tech billionaire now finds himself under intense scrutiny. The Tesla CEO has previously revealed that he was prescribed ketamine to deal with depression and was using it roughly once every two weeks. Insiders claim that Musk, 53, was using ketamine so frequently that it reportedly began affecting his bladder, according to the bombshell report.
Drugs Spoiled Everything
Ketamine, a potent anesthetic with hallucinogenic effects, was just one of many substances Musk was allegedly using. Sources also told the publication that Musk allegedly took ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms, and regularly traveled with a daily pill box containing around 20 different drugs, including Adderall.
Those close to him say his drug use blurred the line between medical treatment and recreational use, with Musk allegedly having taken drugs at private events across the U.S. and at least one foreign country. The NYT based its reporting on reviewed text messages and insider interviews.
Although Musk has publicly said that he takes only "a small amount" of ketamine and that he's not a fan of illegal drugs, his erratic behavior—including what appeared to be a Nazi salute at Trump's election night event—has raised doubts.
It remains unclear whether Musk was under the influence when he was appointed to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a role he announced his resignation from on Wednesday.
SpaceX, Elon Musk's aerospace company and a major government contractor, enforces a strict drug-free policy and conducts random drug testing for its employees. However, insiders familiar with the process told the New York Times that Musk was allegedly given advance notice of when these tests would occur.
It's unclear whether the White House ever required Musk to undergo drug testing during his time in government.
Complicated Personal and Professional Life
Beyond the reported drug use, Musk's tenure at DOGE was also marked by personal legal conflicts involving his former partners and children. Claire Boucher, known as the musician Grimes, is reportedly in a legal dispute with Musk over his public appearances with their five-year-old son, X, which she claims violates their custody arrangement.
Musk has also faced allegations of secretly fathering a 14th child with conservative influencer Ashley St. Clair—an accusation he has reportedly denied.
In recent weeks, Musk had shown growing frustration over the increasing challenges he faced in his government role.
Musk is stepping away from his government role, having fallen well short of his ambitious plan to cut $2 trillion in spending — with estimates indicating he only saved about one-thousandth of that amount, even after mass layoffs that affected tens of thousands.
He now plans to shift focus on his companies, SpaceX and Tesla, and continue pursuing his long-term vision of establishing a human presence on Mars.
As Musk leaves DOGE, Trump praised him as "terrific" and announced they would appear together at a press conference on Friday. "This will be his last day, but not really, because he will, always, be with us, helping all the way," Trump said on his Truth Social network on Thursday.
