A May 2025 New York Times report, as described by its reporters on The Daily, alleged that Elon Musk used ketamine more frequently during the 2024 presidential campaign period than he had publicly described, and also reported continued use of ecstasy and other psychedelics. These are accounts attributed to sources, not independently verified medical facts. The reporting does not establish a diagnosis or show that drug use caused a particular decision.
What the May 2025 report alleged
On The Daily, New York Times reporter Kirsten Grind said sources described Musk’s ketamine use as more frequent by March 2024 than his earlier public account suggested, at times allegedly occurring daily. Grind also said people told the reporters that Musk had said during the 2024 campaign that he was using so much ketamine that it was affecting his bladder. That is a reported account of what he allegedly said, not an independently established medical effect. The Daily discussion of the reporting.
Grind also described reported continued use of ecstasy and other psychedelics. She said a daily pill box reportedly held as many as 20 pills, including pills bearing markings of the stimulant Adderall. The account does not establish that every pill was identified, prescribed, or taken by Musk.
How the account compares with Musk’s public statement
In a March 2024 interview with Don Lemon, Musk described his ketamine use as a small amount of prescribed medication every couple of weeks. He said: “If you use too much ketamine, you can’t really get work done. I have a lot of work.” That interview records his public description at the time; it does not verify his actual frequency of use. The Daily discussion.
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The difference is between Musk’s on-record account and what unnamed sources later told the Times reporters. The May 2025 account does not, on the material available here, include independent medical records or toxicology results that resolve that discrepancy.
What earlier reporting and Musk’s lawyer said
A January 2024 Wall Street Journal report alleged Musk had used LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms, and recreational ketamine. His attorney, Alex Spiro, responded that Musk was “regularly and randomly drug tested at SpaceX and has never failed a test.” Spiro also said there were “other false facts” in the article, without specifying them. The Wall Street Journal report.
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The Journal also recounted a 2017 SpaceX event where executives reportedly thought Musk seemed impaired, while saying it could not determine whether he was under the influence. Spiro disputed that account and said people present could confirm it was false. The episode remains a disputed report, not proof that Musk used drugs at the event. The Wall Street Journal report.
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The reporters said people familiar with the alleged use were concerned about its volume, the mixing of substances, and how Musk could function while leading multiple companies and taking on a public political role. These are attributed concerns, not an independent assessment of impairment.
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Earlier Wall Street Journal coverage also described concerns among some company insiders about possible health, governance, and federal-contract consequences. The cited coverage does not establish that alleged drug use caused a specific business or political decision, violated a particular contract, or resulted in a failed drug test. Nor does the material establish addiction or any other diagnosis.
Accordingly, the most accurate description is that the May 2025 report presented source accounts alleging more frequent ketamine use and use of other substances during the 2024 campaign period. The allegations and reported concerns should not be confused with independently verified private medical facts or demonstrated consequences.
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