Elon Musk
allegedly took large amounts of drugs including ketamine while advising Trump –
report
Doge head at
times took dissociative daily, along with ecstasy and psychedelic mushroom use,
according to NYT
Joseph
Gedeon in Washington
Fri 30 May
2025 16.26 BST
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/30/elon-musk-trump-drug-use
Elon Musk
engaged in extensive drug consumption while serving as one of Donald Trump’s
closest advisers, taking ketamine so frequently it caused bladder problems and
traveling with a daily supply of approximately 20 pills, according to claims
made to the New York Times.
The world’s
richest man regularly consumed ketamine, ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms
during his rise to political prominence, anonymous sources familiar with his
activities told the Times. His drug use reportedly intensified as he donated
$275m to Trump’s presidential campaign and later wielded significant power
through his role spearheading the “department of government efficiency”, or
Doge.
Musk
announced his departure from government service on Wednesday evening, months
after exhibiting erratic behavior including insulting cabinet members and
making a Nazi-like salute at a political rally.
Ecstasy is
classified by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a Schedule I
controlled substance with no accepted medical use, making it entirely
prohibited for federal employees – though Musk has been classified as a
“special government employee” and not subject to the same stringent rules as a
regular employee.
While
ketamine can be legally prescribed as a Schedule III substance, recreational
use or mixing it with other drugs would probably violate federal workplace
policies.
The Doge
leader developed what those sources described to the Times as a serious
ketamine habit, consuming the powerful anesthetic sometimes daily rather than
the “small amount” taken “about once every two weeks” he claimed in interviews.
“If you’ve used too much ketamine, you can’t really get work done, and I have a
lot of work,” Musk previously told journalist Don Lemon in March 2024,
downplaying his consumption.
However, by
spring last year, the Times reports that Musk was telling associates his
ketamine use was affecting his bladder – a known consequence of chronic abuse
of the drug, which has psychedelic properties and can cause dissociation from
reality, according to the DEA.
His regular
medication box contained pills bearing Adderall markings alongside other
substances, according to sources with the Times who have seen photographs of
the container.
It remains
unclear whether Musk was under the influence during his time at the White
House, where he attended sensitive meetings with foreign leaders and held power
over federal spending cuts.
When asked
for comment on the reporting and whether Musk did any drug tests, White House
spokesperson Harrison Fields skirted the question, saying that Musk “has
accomplished more for American taxpayers than many career politicians”.
“Few CEOs in
America would leave the comfort of the C-suite to serve in the federal
government,” Fields said in a statement. “Yet Elon Musk did just that, joining
the Trump Administration’s efforts to cut waste, fraud and abuse. DOGE and its
core mission is now embedded in the fabric of the federal government and
continues to drive efficiency and save taxpayer dollars.”
SpaceX
maintains strict drug-free workplace policies for employees due to its
government contracts. However, those insiders tell the Times that Musk received
advance warning of random drug tests – undermining their effectiveness.
Popular
podcaster and public intellectual Sam Harris, who publicly ended his friendship
with Musk, wrote in a January newsletter: “There is something seriously wrong
with his moral compass, if not his perception of reality.”
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