- Concerns at Tesla, SpaceX over Elon Musk's alleged drug use.
- Wall Street Journal emphasizes worries about Musk's party habits.
- Questions on Musk's drug use effects on corporate governance.
According to unidentified sources familiar with Musk and his companies, the entrepreneur has reportedly used substances such as LSD, cocaine, ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms, and, more recently, ketamine.
The report suggests that Musk's drug use has been observed at private parties, raising worries among those close to Tesla Inc. and SpaceX. Despite Musk's public acknowledgment of having a prescription for ketamine as an antidepressant, concerns about his ongoing drug use have been voiced by individuals associated with the companies.
Elon Musk, who oversees a diverse portfolio of companies, including Tesla, SpaceX, X (formerly Twitter), The Boring Co., Neuralink, and xAI, did not respond to the Wall Street Journal's requests for comment. However, his attorney, Alex Spiro, stated that Musk is regularly and randomly drug tested at SpaceX and has never failed a test. Spiro referred to "false facts" in the article without providing specific details.
Musk's publicized marijuana use with podcaster Joe Rogan in 2018 previously led to a Pentagon review of his federal security clearance tied to his role as CEO of SpaceX. Musk responded to the recent article on Twitter, mentioning that he agreed to three years of random drug testing at NASA's request after the incident with Rogan and emphasized that no trace quantities of drugs or alcohol were found.
The Wall Street Journal also reported that Linda Johnson Rice, a Tesla director since 2017, chose not to stand for reelection two years later due to frustration with Musk's behavior and concerns about his drug use. The article underscores the challenges faced by Musk, whose net worth of $219.4 billion ranks him as the wealthiest individual on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
As SpaceX remains the only U.S. company approved to transport NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station, the Pentagon's increased reliance on Musk's companies for satellite launches adds another layer of scrutiny to the situation. Musk's ability to lead these companies effectively amid concerns about his personal behavior continues to be a topic of discussion within the business community.
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