Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has responded to a New York Times piece that claims he used narcotics “intensely” during the November 2024 presidential campaign that assured Donald Trump's return to the White House.
Elon Musk speaks during a news conference with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 30, 2025. (Photo by ALLISON ROBBERT / AFP) (AFP)
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According to the NY Times, which cited anonymous sources, Musk, who was a member of Trump's inner circle, had raised concerns about his alleged regular use of substances such as hallucinogenic mushrooms, ecstasy, and the anesthetic ketamine.
Amidst all the concerns, Musk reacted to the NYT's allegations on his platform, X, calling the report “bs.”
“I’m in meetings with dozens to hundreds of people every day and am photographed constantly. If this bs from NYT were true, it would have been EXTREMELY obvious 🤣🤣,” the Tesla CEO wrote on X.
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Netizens react to Musk's response to NYT claims
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Reacting to Musk's response, one X user Pierre Ferragu wrote: “The NYT’s hit piece on Elon is pathetic—UK tabloids have more class. Dressing up shoddy reporting in fancy prose is just cheap, dishonest nonsense.”
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Reacting to Musk's response, one X user Pierre Ferragu wrote: “The NYT’s hit piece on Elon is pathetic—UK tabloids have more class. Dressing up shoddy reporting in fancy prose is just cheap, dishonest nonsense.”
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“It funny that they quoted your so-called “friend” Philip Low,” another commented.
“They'll now go through every photo and pieve of footage looking for funny expressions 😆,” the third user chimed in .
When Musk joined the White House as a senior adviser to Trump, who assigned him the responsibility of heading the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, a position he resigned last week, it was unclear whether he was under the influence of narcotics, according to the NYT.
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The drug usage, however, may account for “erratic behavior” such as delivering what was denounced as a “Nazi salute” during a rally and providing jumbled responses during an interview, the report suggested.
The report further claims that concerns regarding his drug usage, mood swings, and obsession with having more kids grew as he joined the political sphere.
The report mentioned how Musk had previously disclosed that he had been given ketamine for depressive symptoms, telling his biographer, “I really don't like doing illegal drugs.”
Trump told reporters that he was “not troubled” by Musk, but he was unaware of the billionaire's alleged drug use.
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.
Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.
Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.
Home/World News/Us News/Elon Musk breaks silence on new bombshell drug abuse charge, netizens react; ‘It's funny that…'
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