Musk: "I Don't Talk Money with Trump... Must Continue Ketamine Use"

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, stated earlier this month that his meeting with former President Donald Trump was not originally intended, and that there was no discussion about election campaign donations during the meeting. Regarding the previously controversial use of the psychoactive drug ketamine, he defended himself by saying that continuing its use is beneficial for investors.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

In an interview released on the 18th (local time) with former CNN anchor Don Lemon, Musk said, "I had breakfast at a friend's house, and former President Trump showed up," adding, "That's all." When Lemon asked, "Didn't you go to meet him?" Musk explained the situation, saying, "I went to a friend's house, and when I was told that former President Trump was waiting, I said 'Okay'."

Regarding the content of the conversation with former President Trump, he said, "There was nothing particularly groundbreaking or new," and "He did most of the talking. I don't recall anything he said that he hadn't publicly stated before." When asked if Trump requested money or donations, Musk denied it. He said, "I will not pay his legal fees in any way," and "He did not ask me for money."

Earlier, The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 3rd of this month that former President Trump met with Musk and several wealthy Republican donors in Palm Beach, Florida. This led to speculation that Musk, one of the world's leading billionaires, might be supporting Trump's election campaign financially. In this interview, Musk did not mention who the friend he visited was or who else attended the breakfast.

Musk said, "I might support a candidate in the end, but I don't know yet," adding, "If I decide to support a candidate, I will explain the reasons clearly at that time." However, he added that even if he has a preferred candidate, he will not donate campaign funds.

Additionally, Musk addressed his use of the psychoactive drug ketamine during the interview. When asked why he is prescribed ketamine, he replied, "Ketamine helps when there is a negative chemical state or depression," and added, "I take a small dose every other week, but sometimes I just let a few weeks pass."

When asked if this ketamine use might be a problem for SpaceX's government contracts or Wall Street investors, he said, "What matters on Wall Street is execution and creating value for investors," and "For investors, if I am taking something, it is better to continue taking it." Regarding potential abuse, he said, "I don't think so," and dismissed concerns by saying, "If I took too much, I wouldn't be able to do my work properly, but I have too much work to do."

Near the end of the approximately one-hour interview, questions about X (formerly Twitter) also drew attention. When Lemon pointed out that major advertisers have been leaving due to anti-Semitism controversies surrounding X, saying, "They can advertise freely wherever they want," Musk showed signs of irritation. He said, "While other platforms censor ads on their behalf, the X platform will not censor." When Lemon pressed, "Isn't the responsibility yours?" Musk warned, "Choose your questions carefully. Five minutes left."

The interview, released that day, was conducted on the 8th as part of a premium video content partnership aimed at restoring X's advertising revenue. However, shortly afterward, Lemon revealed that he was suddenly notified that his program contract with X was canceled. Locally, there is widespread analysis that questions about ketamine use and anti-Semitism issues upset Musk during the interview.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.