“I am NOT taking drugs”: Musk fires back at circulating allegations

Elon Musk has pushed back against claims that he extensively used ketamine and other drugs while advising President Donald Trump during the 2024 campaign season.

In a post Saturday on X, Musk wrote, "To be clear, I am NOT taking drugs! The New York Times was lying their ass off." The statement followed a New York Times report that alleged the tech mogul and government adviser took large amounts of ketamine—enough to cause reported bladder issues—alongside other substances such as ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms.

Also, to be clear, I am NOT taking drugs! The New York Times was lying their ass off.

I tried *prescription* ketamine a few years ago and said so on , so this not even news. It helps for getting out of dark mental holes, but haven’t taken it since then.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 31, 2025

According to the report, Musk also regularly carried a pill container throughout the year, though it remains unclear if drug use continued while he served as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a role he assumed after Trump returned to office in January.

Musk responded by reiterating a past admission, "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."

The controversy erupted the same day Musk made a bizarre final appearance in the Oval Office, ending his tenure as the administration's chief efficiency officer. Musk, sporting a visible black eye during the meeting with Trump, offered no immediate explanation for the injury.

Read more: VIDEO: Musk attributes black eye to playful punch from son X at White House farewell

That changed when he later said he got the bruise while playfully sparring with his young son, X. "And he did. Turns out even a five-year-old punching you in the face actually is..." Musk said, trailing off during the explanation.

The unusual timing of the injury—just hours after the Times' exposé—added to the online frenzy. The newspaper also cited erratic public behavior, including a salute at a pro-Trump rally in January that observers compared to Nazi symbolism.

When asked Friday if he was aware of Musk's alleged drug habits, Trump replied, "I wasn't," but added, "I think Elon is a fantastic guy."

Musk has previously acknowledged using ketamine under medical supervision to help manage what he called a “negative frame of mind,” even suggesting at one point that it supported his creative process.