Trump praises Musk and DOGE efforts
During an Oval Office send-off Friday marking the extremity of his ceremonial relation with the Trump administration, Elon Musk lashed retired erstwhile asked astir a New York Times report alleging helium was a predominant idiosyncratic of the cause ketamine during the 2024 campaign.
"The New York Times. Is that the aforesaid work that got a Pulitzer Prize for mendacious reporting connected the Russiagate?" Musk asked portion lasting alongside President Trump, cutting disconnected a question from Fox News newsman Peter Doocy astir the Times. "Let's determination on."
Musk's remarks came connected the aforesaid time that the Times reported helium utilized ketamine — which tin beryllium utilized some recreationally and medically — arsenic often arsenic erstwhile a time successful 2024. Musk has told radical helium took ketamine truthful often that it affected his bladder, and helium has besides utilized ecstasy and magic mushrooms astatine times, the insubstantial said, citing unnamed sources.
CBS News has reached retired to Musk and his spokesperson for comment.
Musk has said publicly helium has a prescription for ketamine. But helium told journalist Don Lemon past twelvemonth helium uses it infrequently, taking a "small magnitude erstwhile each different week" to assistance him get retired of a "depressive mindstate." He told Lemon helium doesn't consciousness he's abused the drug, saying, "if you usage excessively overmuch ketamine, you can't truly get enactment done…and I person a batch of work."
Musk besides told Lemon that astatine times, weeks volition spell by without him utilizing ketamine.
The Wall Street Journal reported past year that immoderate Musk associates interest his reported cause usage could harm his businesses, which see Tesla, SpaceX, societal web X and respective different firms. The billionaire has brushed disconnected immoderate concerns astir the interaction connected his companies, telling Lemon, "what matters is execution."
Musk has said helium has a top-secret information clearance, which typically requires drug testing.
A hallucinogenic drug, ketamine is approved by the Food and Drug Administration arsenic an anesthetic. The FDA says it has not authorized ketamine to dainty psychiatric disorders, though one of the molecules that makes up ketamine tin beryllium administered nether medical supervision to dainty depression. It is besides sometimes distributed illegally.
Ketamine tin beryllium "very dangerous" erstwhile utilized recreationally, Dr. Angelique Campen, an exigency country doc successful California, has previously told CBS News Los Angeles. The cause drew attraction aft it was partially blamed for the 2023 death of histrion Matthew Perry.
The Oval Office back-and-forth came arsenic Musk wrapped up his stint arsenic a "special authorities employee" successful the Trump administration, wherever helium oversaw the cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency, oregon DOGE. Musk and his squad person swept done the authorities successful caller months, slashing national contracts and cutting unit — drafting applause from Trump allies and condemnation from opponents.
Musk had predicted helium could chopped $1 trillion from the national budget, but the medication says DOGE has saved astir $170 cardinal truthful acold — though Musk predicted Friday the $1 trillion extremity is inactive imaginable "over time." Some of the cuts tallied by DOGE person contained errors, and 1 investigation estimates DOGE may extremity up costing the authorities hundreds of billions owed to mislaid productivity and changes to national workers' status.
In caller days, Musk has criticized parts of Mr. Trump's agenda. He told CBS News earlier this week helium has immoderate "differences of opinion" with the administration, and feels "a small stuck successful a bind" erstwhile helium disagrees. He also said helium was "disappointed" by the terms tag of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a sweeping Trump-backed measure passed by House Republicans past week.
But successful Friday's Oval Office event, Mr. Trump was laudatory of Musk, saying his relation "has been without examination successful modern history." Musk said helium expects to support visiting the White House and volition service arsenic a "friend and adviser" to the president.
Weijia Jiang and Melissa Quinn contributed to this report.
Joe Walsh is simply a elder exertion for integer authorities astatine CBS News. Joe antecedently covered breaking quality for Forbes and section quality successful Boston.
English (US) ·