‘I am not taking drugs!’: Elon Musk shrugs off ketamine story, slams media report

Elon Musk elaborated on his past ketamine use, saying, “I tried 'prescription' ketamine a few years ago and said so on X.”

Published on: Jun 1, 2025, 09:39:04 IST

By HT News Desk

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Elon Musk on Saturday publicly denied a New York Times report claiming he used ketamine and other illicit drugs extensively during the 2024 election cycle, including while serving in a top government advisory role under US President Donald Trump.

Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., during a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Friday (Bloomberg)

Drug speculations surrounding the Tesla CEO started after he was seen with a "black eye" at a joint presser with Trump in the Oval Office on his formal last day as Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief.

At the time, Elon Musk offered an explanation for the bruise, saying he sustained the injury while roughhousing with X, his five-year-old son. But, he shrugged off a question about drug use, saying, “let’s move on.”

‘Drug helps for getting out of dark mental holes’

The 53-year-old billionaire entrepreneur strongly rejected the media report, declaring, “the New York Times was lying their ass off.”

Responding on X, the social media platform he owns, Musk wrote: “To be clear, I am NOT taking drugs!”

However, Musk elaborated on his past ketamine use, saying, “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.”

Later on Friday, when reporters asked the Republican President if he was aware of Musk’s “regular drug use”, he said, “I wasn’t.”

“I think Elon is a fantastic guy,” Trump added, AFP reported.

Musk has previously acknowledged taking ketamine under medical supervision to treat depression, and has suggested it positively impacted his creativity and performance.

Musk travelled with a pill box: Report

In a report on Friday, the New York Times alleged Musk consumed large amounts of ketamine – an aesthetic with hallucinogenic effects – leading to reported bladder issues.

The article also claimed that the SpaceX CEO took ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms, and was seen travelling with a daily medication that held about 20 pills, throughout the year.

The NYT also cited Musk's history of erratic behaviour, including a controversial Nazi-style salute at a January rally celebrating Trump’s second inauguration.

However, the report noted there was no confirmation of drug use during his tenure at the White House.

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HT News Desk
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