The New York Times has accused Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, of launching a rapid critique against them recently. This came after the paper published a report in May that drew on a private message and interviews with over a dozen individuals familiar with Musk.
The report suggested that Musk’s drug use exceeded occasional consumption, citing that he allegedly claimed to use potent anesthetic ketamine among other substances, like ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms. It was mentioned that he traveled with a medicine box containing up to 20 different pills, including a stimulant.
Musk has consistently dismissed the article’s claims, even sharing recent drug test results on his social media account. The Times’ communications team responded, maintaining their position and suggesting Musk continues to “assault” their reporting rather than addressing the allegations directly.
In a tweet, Musk challenged the New York Times and Wall Street Journal to undergo drug tests themselves, suggesting a lack of integrity on their part. He wrote, “A great idea. Here we challenge NYT and WSJ to get drug tests and publish results! They don’t, because those hypocrites are guilty like sin.”
The back-and-forth between Musk and the Times has been ongoing since the article, which was published on May 30. Following its release, Musk asserted he hadn’t used ketamine in years and criticized the Times for alleged inaccuracies.
The Times has defended its reporting, stating that it was based on extensive interviews and evidence they collected prior to publishing. They emphasized they offered Musk a chance to respond to the claims before going to print.
