Overview

• President Donald Trump told confidants he “dropped a dime” to The New York Times to spur a May report alleging Elon Musk’s use of ketamine, Adderall, ecstasy and mushrooms during the 2024 campaign.
• The New York Times’ May investigation cited sources claiming Musk consumed multiple drugs, a report the Tesla and SpaceX chief vehemently dismissed as fiction.
• The revelation follows Musk’s early-2025 opposition to Trump’s budget megabill, which ignited their public fallout through mutual insults and threats.
• Trump has threatened to withdraw government subsidies, review SpaceX and Tesla contracts and explore deportation despite Musk’s U.S. citizenship.
• The feud underscores broader questions about tech executives’ political influence and the role of media narratives in high-stakes policy battles.