Musk in Oval Office farewell brushes off NYT report on ketamine use

Elon Musk brushed off a New York Times report about his alleged drug use while joining the Trump campaign in a Friday press conference marking the end of the billionaire's days with the Department of Government Efficiency.The big picture: Musk earlier this week announced his departure from the administration, ending his chainsaw-wielding tour through the federal government as the face of DOGE. His reputation was bruised during his tumultuous tenure, which at times saw him clash with administration officials.The Times on Friday, citing more than a dozen people who knew or worked with him, reported that Musk was allegedly taking so much ketamine — on top of other drugs — that it was affecting his bladder. Musk in the past had said he was prescribed ketamine for mental health issues.Driving the news: Asked about the report Friday, Musk railed against The New York Times "for their lies about the Russiagate hoax" and added "let's move on."The Times reported that it's "unclear" if Musk used drugs while serving in the government.Zoom out: President Trump, during an often rambling opening to the press conference, said Musk is "really not leaving" and was "going to be back and forth."Musk said he would continue to visit as a "friend" and adviser to the president.Catch up quick: Musk and DOGE set out with an audacious goal of cutting $2 trillion in federal spending.That didn't happen. And the savings DOGE claims it did find have been hotly contested because the math backing up the initiatives' tallies was marred with errors.But Musk on Friday maintained he still expects to achieve a trillion dollars in cuts over time.Flashback: In a memorable February appearance, Musk joined Trump in the Oval Office to defend DOGE's cuts, saying Americans "voted for major government reform and that's what the people are going to get."Since then, DOGE purged thousands of government workers and contracts — though Musk's legacy with DOGE remains ensnared in several ongoing lawsuits. Go deeper: Pentagon sunsets Elon Musk's "what did you do last week" email mandate

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