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Elon Musk’s farewell at the White House, which marked the end of his short tenure as a special government employee, has been overshadowed by a black eye, problems at Tesla, and allegations of drug use.
Musk, who led the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), announced last week that he was leaving the role.
In a press conference with Donald Trump on Friday local time, the United States president praised Musk as “one of the greatest business leaders and innovators the world has ever produced”.
But it was an unusual briefing, with Musk dodging questions about his appearance, while receiving a present that Trump reserves for only “very special people”.
Musk told reporters the injury was from his 5-year-old son, after he told the boy: “‘Go ahead, punch me in the face. ‘ And he did”.
Musk also received a large golden key in a box, a gift from Trump acknowledging his “very great talents”.
So, if things appear amicable between Musk and Trump, why are they parting ways?
Why is Musk leaving?
Musk has not given a specific reason for his departure from the Trump administration.
He announced on Wednesday that his “scheduled time” in the Trump administration had come to an end and thanked Trump for “the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending”.
Meanwhile, his electric vehicle company, Tesla, has been in trouble, with declining sales and stock prices falling 12 per cent this year.
Tesla shareholders had written an open letter to Musk, describing the company as in “crisis” and demanding he return to work a standard 40-hour week.
In the press conference, Musk addressed questions regarding reports from the New York Times that mentioned significant drug use, including substances such as ketamine, ecstasy, and psychedelic mushrooms.
The Times reported on Friday that Musk had used these drugs while in office, citing White House insiders and people close to the billionaire.
The DOGE leader developed what those sources described to the Times as a serious ketamine habit.
Musk dismissed the claims outright, saying it was “fake news”.
“The New York Times? Is that the same publication that got a Pulitzer prize for false reporting on the Russiagate?
“I think it is. That New York Times? Let’s move on.”
