WSJ Report Details Elon Musk's Alleged Illegal Drug Use

An article in the Wall Street Journal (Center bias) reported that Elon Musk has used “LSD, cocaine, ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms” as well as marijuana and Ketamine, according to “people who have witnessed his drug use and others with knowledge of it.”

Detail: The report characterizes Musk’s alleged drug use as a potential explanation for his “​​contrarian views, unfiltered speech and provocative antics.” The article concludes Musk is risking “major consequences not just for his health, but also the six companies and billions in assets he oversees.” One of Musk’s companies, SpaceX, has billions of dollars in government contracts, which Musk’s alleged drug use would “likely be a violation.” Additionally, the report included speculation from unnamed Tesla board members that Musk was under the influence when he tweeted in 2018 that he was considering taking Tesla private, a statement that sparked an SEC investigation. The report also detailed Musk’s past drug-related controversies, such as when he smoked marijuana during his appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast in 2018. This incident led NASA to demand assurances that SpaceX was complying with drug-free workplace laws and require SpaceX conduct drug tests on employees. Responding to the report on X, Musk wrote that he agreed to submit to three years of random drug tests following the incident, claiming, “Not even trace quantities were found of any drugs or alcohol.”

How the Media Covered It: Outlets across the spectrum reported on the contents of the WSJ article, often labeling it a “bombshell.”