Elon Musk, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Tesla, who was a close associate of U.S. President Donald Trump, reportedly took a large amount of drugs, including ketamine and ecstasy, during last year's presidential campaign, according to a report by The New York Times (NYT) on the 30th (local time).
Musk carried a pillbox containing about 20 tablets, including the stimulant Adderall, and his drug use extended beyond normal levels, individuals who worked with Musk told NYT.
Musk reportedly overdosed on ketamine to the extent that it affected his bladder, sometimes taking it daily and mixing it with other drugs, according to NYT. This conflicts with Musk's previous assertion that he received ketamine for depression treatment and only took a small amount every two weeks.
Musk also used ecstasy and hallucinogenic mushrooms at private gatherings, attendees at the meetings told NYT. Earlier, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) raised similar allegations of Musk's drug use in January of last year. At that time, Musk denied the allegations, stating he underwent random drug testing for three years at the request of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Musk actively supported the campaign starting from October 5th last year when he first joined candidate Trump at a rally. He was criticized for making a gesture that appeared to resemble a 'Nazi salute' during an event related to President Trump's inauguration on January 20th.
In February, he drew attention by performing a 'chainsaw performance' at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), and during an interview at that time, he stumbled over his words and laughed, which led to allegations of drug use online, NYT reported.
SpaceX, the aerospace company led by Musk, has large contracts with the U.S. government and must adhere to a drug-free policy. NYT reported that SpaceX conducts random drug tests on employees, but Musk was said to have been informed in advance about the testing schedule.
Regarding these allegations, Musk avoided giving a direct answer during a farewell news conference held at the White House with President Trump. He asked rhetorically, 'Is this the same media that received a Pulitzer Prize for fake reporting on the RussiaGate?' implying that NYT might need to return the Pulitzer. He then said, 'Let's move on,' without providing specific explanations, according to U.S. media.
'RussiaGate' refers to allegations of Russian interference in the election during President Trump's victory in 2016. President Trump has filed a defamation lawsuit against the Pulitzer Prize board over the NYT reporting that received a Pulitzer for 'RussiaGate.' Recently, a Florida court ruled that President Trump could proceed with the lawsuit, reported The Hill, a congressional publication.