Elon Musk lashed out at The New York Times on Friday after the newspaper published a detailed report alleging the tech mogul’s drug use during the campaign trail raised serious concerns among associates. The report claimed Musk openly discussed using ketamine so frequently it was affecting his bladder, along with consuming psychedelic mushrooms and ecstasy, and even traveling daily with a box containing 20 pills some labeled as Adderall.
While standing beside President Trump in the Oval Office, Musk was confronted with the story by Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy, who began to ask about the allegations, saying the report “accuses you of blurring the line between “
Before Doocy could finish, Musk cut him off and redirected his ire at the publication itself. “Is The New York Times is that the same publication that got a Pulitzer Prize for false reporting on the Russiagate? Is that the same organization? I think it is,” Musk said, turning toward Trump. “I think it is.”
Trump nodded and replied, “It is.”
Musk then added, “I think the judge just ruled against The New York Times for their lies about the Russiagate hoax, and they may have to give back their Pulitzer Prize. That New York Times. Let’s move on,” he said dismissively, pointing at Doocy and gesturing to change the subject.
Musk was referring to a recent legal development in Trump’s ongoing lawsuit against the Pulitzer Prize Board. The lawsuit, which challenges the Pulitzer awarded to The New York Times and The Washington Post for their coverage of Russian interference in the 2016 election, was recently allowed to move forward by a judge. Trump had sued the board for refusing to revoke the prizes, claiming the stories were part of a politically motivated hoax. While the legal case continues, there has been no official move to rescind the Pulitzer awards.
The Times’ report on Musk cited unnamed sources, messages, and photos from people who claimed to have firsthand knowledge of his behavior. It described an erratic pattern of travel and drug use that they allege impacted his professional performance and decision-making.
When asked about the report earlier in the day, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller brushed off the controversy, saying, “The drugs that we’re concerned about are the drugs running across the southern border.”
The Oval Office appearance marked Musk’s final day as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a position he held as part of Trump’s effort to streamline federal operations. The president opened the press conference with a lengthy summary of DOGE’s accomplishments, praising Musk’s work while sidestepping the emerging controversy surrounding the Times report.
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