Elon Musk’s drug use was “far more serious” than previously known: NYT report

Elon Musk’s drug use during the 2024 presidential campaign was “far more serious” than previously known, according to a report published Friday by The New York Times.

Musk, who was one of the most high-profile surrogates for President Donald Trump on the campaign trail and eventually became a senior adviser to the president, allegedly took so much ketamine that he told friends that it was affecting his bladder. The Times report also says that he was known to take ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms. 

In addition, according to the report, Musk “traveled with a daily medication box that held about 20 pills, including ones with the markings of the stimulant Adderall, according to a photo of the box and people who have seen it.”

Musk officially left his position at the White House this week, saying he was taking a step back from politics.

The South African billionaire has acknowledged ketamine use in the past, telling the journalist Don Lemon that he used a small amount, consistent with his medical prescription. But the Times investigation found that he consumed it far more frequently, sometimes every day, and occasionally mixed it with other drugs.

“The line between medical use and recreation was blurry, troubling some people close to him,” according to the report. 

Though it is unclear if Musk was taking illegal drugs during his time leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the report points to a series of erratic behaviors on the campaign trail and since. Musk performed a Nazi-style salute during a January inauguration ceremony, appeared incoherent in certain interviews and public appearances, and reportedly plays hours of video games and struggles with eating habits.

This pattern of drug use coincided with a period of turmoil in Musk’s personal life. The Times report also highlights his “overlapping romantic relationships and private legal battles involving his growing brood of children,” which have also been in the headlines in the past year. In February, the writer Ashley St. Clair revealed that she had a secret relationship with Musk and that she had given birth to his 14th known child.