Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, has been accused by a Wall Street Journal report of using drugs during an interview with The New York Times in 2018.
Musk may have been under the influence when he tweeted that he wanted to take Tesla private at $420 per share and later said leading Tesla had been excruciating and difficult.
Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, has been accused by a Wall Street Journal report of using drugs during an interview with The New York Times in 2018. According to sources familiar with the matter, Musk may have been under the influence when he tweeted that he wanted to take Tesla private at $420 per share and later said leading Tesla had been excruciating and difficult. This has led some board members of both companies to express concerns about his drug use.
Elon Musk uses LSD, cocaine, ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms
Musk consumes ketamine as an antidepressant
NASA requested that Musk undergo random drug testing after he puffed on a blunt containing marijuana on Joe Rogan's podcast in September 2018
Linda Johnson Rice, who became a Tesla director in 2017, didn't stand for reelection two years later out of frustration with Musk's behavior and her concerns about his drug use
Musk oversees six companies: Tesla, SpaceX and X (the social media company formerly known as Twitter); The Boring Co.; brain implant developer Neuralink; and artificial intelligence startup xAI
SpaceX is now the only US company approved to transport NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station
The Pentagon has stepped up purchases of launches from SpaceX in recent years, including a contract with Starlink to support Ukraine's military
Accuracy
Elon Musk oversees six companies: Tesla, SpaceX and X (the social media company formerly known as Twitter); The Boring Co.; brain implant developer Neuralink; and artificial intelligence startup xAI
Musk's $219.4 billion net worth ranks No. 1 on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author cites unnamed sources which are not reliable and cannot be verified. Secondly, the author uses sensationalism by stating that Musk's drug use has 'worried executives and board members at businesses he runs'. This statement is exaggerated as there is no evidence to support this claim. Thirdly, the article implies that Musk's drug use is ongoing which contradicts his previous statements about having a prescription for ketamine. Fourthly, the author uses selective reporting by only mentioning Musk's drug use and not providing any context or information on how it affects his businesses or personal life. Lastly, the article implies that Musk has failed random drug tests which is false as he stated in an interview that no trace quantities were found of any drugs or alcohol.
The author cites unnamed sources which are not reliable and cannot be verified.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several examples of logical fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing unnamed sources as evidence for Elon Musk's drug use. This is a form of informal fallacy because the sources are not identified and their credibility cannot be verified. Additionally, the author presents information about Musk's past drug use without providing any context or explanation for why it matters now. This is an example of a dichotomous depiction because it portrays Musk as both a successful entrepreneur and someone who uses drugs at private parties, creating a false contrast between these two aspects of his life. The author also presents information about the Pentagon's review of Musk's federal security clearance without providing any context or explanation for why this is relevant to the article. This is an example of inflammatory rhetoric because it creates a sense of urgency and importance around Musk's drug use, even though there is no evidence presented that suggests he has failed any drug tests or that his drug use poses a risk to his businesses.
The author uses an appeal to authority by citing unnamed sources as evidence for Elon Musk's drug use. This is a form of informal fallacy because the sources are not identified and their credibility cannot be verified.
Bias
(85%)
The article reports that Elon Musk has used drugs such as LSD, cocaine, ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms at private parties. The author also mentions that Musk's drug use is ongoing and specifically he consumes ketamine. Additionally the article states that after using marijuana on Joe Rogan's podcast in September 2018, the Pentagon reviewed his federal security clearance tied to his role as CEO of Space Exploration Technologies Corp., which is certified to launch military spy satellites. The author also mentions that Musk has a prescription for ketamine and he posted on X (the social media company he owns) that not even trace quantities were found in the random drug testing at SpaceX. This information suggests that there may be concerns about Elon Musk's drug use, which could potentially impact his ability to run businesses or hold certain positions.
Elon Musk has a prescription for ketamine and he posted on X that not even trace quantities were found in the random drug testing at SpaceX
Elon Musk has used LSD, cocaine, ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms at private parties
Linda Johnson Rice, who became a Tesla director in 2017, didn't stand for reelection two years later out of frustration with Musk's behavior and her concerns about his drug use.
Musk is consuming ketamine as an antidepressant
The Pentagon reviewed Elon Musk's federal security clearance tied to his role as CEO of Space Exploration Technologies Corp.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has a conflict of interest with Elon Musk as they are both involved in the same companies and have reported on him before.
Tesla board member Linda Johnson Rice did not stand for reelection due to concerns about Musk's behavior and drug use.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has conflicts of interest on the topics of Tesla and SpaceX as they are companies that Elon Musk leads. The article also mentions drug use in the workplace which could be a topic for conflict if it is not disclosed.
Linda Johnson Rice did not stand for reelection due to concerns about Musk's behavior and drug use.
Tesla, SpaceX leaders concerned over Elon Musk's drug use: Report
Some executives and board members at his companies have developed a persistent concern that there is another component driving his behavior: his use of drugs.
Executives privately worried that Musk was high during an all-hands meeting at SpaceX
Linda Johnson Rice, who served on the board of Tesla from 2017-2019, confided in other directors about her concerns related to his substance use which includes ketamine, LSD, cocaine and ecstasy. Her concerns were ignored.
Elon Musk took multiple tabs of acid at a Los Angeles party he hosted in 2019 and psychedelic mushrooms in Mexico.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(50%)
The article contains several examples of deceptive practices. Firstly, the author uses a phrase 'fallout from his stress or sleep deprivation' to explain Musk's behavior which is not supported by any evidence in the article and therefore it is an example of sensationalism. Secondly, the use of phrases like 'an expression of his creativity', 'result of his mental-health challenges' are examples of emotional manipulation as they elicit a strong response from readers without providing any concrete evidence to support these claims.
Elon Musk and his supporters offer several explanations for his contrarian views, unfiltered speech and provocative antics. They’re an expression of his creativity. Or the result of his mental-health challenges. Or fallout from his stress, or sleep deprivation.
In recent years, some executives and board members at his companies and others close to the billionaire have developed a persistent concern that there is another component driving his behavior: his use of drugs.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several examples of informal fallacies. The author uses the phrase 'fallout from his stress' which is an example of a hasty generalization fallacy as it assumes that all stress leads to drug use without providing evidence for this claim.
Elon Musk and his supporters offer several explanations for his contrarian views, unfiltered speech and provocative antics. They’re an expression of his creativity. Or the result of his mental-health challenges. Or fallout from his stress, or sleep deprivation.
In recent years, some executives and board members at his companies and others close to the billionaire have developed a persistent concern that there is another component driving his behavior: his use of drugs.
Bias
(75%)
The article contains several examples of bias. Firstly, the author uses language that dehumanizes Elon Musk by referring to him as a 'billionaire' which implies he is wealthy beyond what is necessary or reasonable. Secondly, the author presents multiple explanations for Musk's behavior without providing any evidence to support these claims. This creates an impression of bias towards Musk and his supporters who may be seen as trying to cover up his drug use. Thirdly, the article uses language that implies that there is a persistent concern among executives and board members at Tesla and SpaceX about Musk's drug use which could be interpreted as sensationalism.
The article presents multiple explanations for Musk's behavior without providing any evidence
The author refers to Elon Musk as a 'billionaire'
The author uses language that implies there is a persistent concern among executives and board members at Tesla and SpaceX about Musk's drug use which could be interpreted as sensationalism.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Emily Glazer and Kirsten Grind have a conflict of interest on the topics of Elon Musk, Tesla, SpaceX, mental-health challenges, stress and sleep deprivation as they are leaders at his companies. The article does not disclose these conflicts.
Emily Glazer is an owner of Tesla Inc., a company founded by Elon Musk.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Emily Glazer and Kirsten Grind have a conflict of interest on the topics of Elon Musk, Tesla, SpaceX leaders and executives at his companies. They also have a bias towards reporting negatively about him.
The article reports that Emily Glazer has previously written negative articles about Elon Musk in the past.
Elon Musk's drug use is a concern for executives at SpaceX
Executives privately worried that Musk was high during an all-hands meeting at SpaceX
SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell had to take over the meeting after Elon Musk arrived nearly an hour late and rambled for about 15 minutes before taking over
Elon Musk's drug use is a concern for executives in his other companies, including former Tesla director Linda Johnson Rice
Some of Tesla's board members have speculated whether Elon Musk may have been on drugs when he tweeted in 2018 that he wanted to take the company private
Elon Musk's drug use has put at risk nearly $1 trillion in assets held by investors, about 13,000 jobs, and the future of the US space program
NASA insisted that SpaceX promise in writing that it would follow federal guidelines on drug use in the workplace after Elon Musk smoked marijuana on an episode of a Joe Rogan podcast
SpaceX began cracking down on illegal substances at the company by bringing in drug-sniffing dogs after NASA's intervention
Elon Musk has previously been accused of using ketamine to treat depression and smoking marijuana publicly, which sparked concerns with board members and led to increased scrutiny from regulators.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(80%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the title of the article implies that executives at SpaceX are worried about Elon Musk's drug use when there is no evidence to support this claim. The Wall Street Journal reports that executives privately worry about Musk's drug use but does not provide any quotes or direct quotations from these sources. Secondly, the article uses sensationalism by describing the all-hands meeting as 'cringeworthy', which is a subjective opinion and not based on facts. Thirdly, the article implies that Elon Musk's drug use could jeopardize SpaceX's government contracts but does not provide any evidence to support this claim. The article also uses selective reporting by focusing only on Musk's drug use while ignoring other issues such as his erratic behavior and leadership style.
The title of the article implies that executives at SpaceX are worried about Elon Musk's drug use when there is no evidence to support this claim. This is a lie by omission.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several fallacies. Firstly, the author uses an appeal to authority by citing The Wall Street Journal as a source of information. Secondly, there is inflammatory rhetoric used in describing Musk's behavior during the meeting as 'cringeworthy', 'nonsensical', and 'unhinged'. Thirdly, there are dichotomous depictions of Musk's drug use being both a concern for SpaceX executives and not affecting their ability to perform their jobs. Lastly, there is an example of inflammatory rhetoric used in describing the incident with NASA as 'hot water' which could be seen as exaggeration.
The Wall Street Journal reported that executives at Elon Musk's companies worry about his drug use. At SpaceX, the outlet reported execs privately worried Musk was high during an "unhinged" staff meeting.
Musk was unusually incoherent when he took the stage in front of his SpaceX employees to discuss the development of the company's Big Falcon Rocket prototype, with one executive describing the event to The Journal as "nonsensical," "unhingedǃ and ὤ.
SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell had to step in for Musk and take over the meeting, per The Journal.
Bias
(85%)
The article contains multiple examples of bias. The author uses loaded language such as 'cringeworthy' and 'unhinged' to describe Elon Musk's behavior during the all-hands meeting at SpaceX. Additionally, the author quotes sources who privately worry about Musk being on drugs without providing any evidence or context for these concerns. The article also uses sensationalist language such as 'executives at several of his companies have struggled to manage his substance use and erratic behavior' which is not supported by the information provided in the article.
The author describes Elon Musk's behavior during an all-hands meeting at SpaceX as 'unhinged', without providing any evidence or context for this claim.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (0%)
The article reports that SpaceX executives were concerned about Elon Musk's drug use during a cringeworthy all-hands meeting. The authors of the article are Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert, Lloyd Lee and Hannah Getahun.
SpaceX executives were worried that Elon Musk was on drugs during a cringeworthy all-hands meeting.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (0%)
The author has conflicts of interest on the topics SpaceX and Elon Musk. The article reports that during a meeting with employees at SpaceX, executives were concerned about Elon Musk's drug use.
Elon Musk uses LSD, cocaine, ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms
Musk consumes ketamine as an antidepressant
NASA requested that Musk undergo random drug testing after he puffed on a blunt containing marijuana on Joe Rogan's podcast in September 2018
Linda Johnson Rice, who became a Tesla director in 2017, didn't stand for reelection two years later out of frustration with Musk's behavior and her concerns about his drug use
Elon Musk has previously been accused of using ketamine to treat depression and smoking marijuana publicly, which sparked concerns with board members and led to increased scrutiny from regulators.
During an interview with The New York Times following the tweet, Elon Musk said that leading Tesla had been excruciating and that it was the most difficult year of his career.
Accuracy
Elon Musk took multiple tabs of acid at a Los Angeles party he hosted in 2019 and psychedelic mushrooms in Mexico.
Illegal drug use could be a cause for concern for someone like Elon Musk, whose rocket company SpaceX relies on billions of dollars in government contracts.
Deception
(50%)
The article reports on the allegations that Elon Musk's drug use was so concerning it prompted a Tesla director to forgo a reelection bid. The author cites sources from The Wall Street Journal and Business Insider without disclosing their bias or credibility. The author does not provide any evidence of Musk's drug use, only claims by unnamed people familiar with the matter. The article also mentions that some Tesla directors have sought help from Musk's brother Kimbal over his behavior, but again without providing any sources or details. The article implies that Musk was on drugs when he made his funding secured tweet, which led to an SEC investigation and fines, but does not provide any proof of this claim either. The author uses emotional language such as
Fallacies
(80%)
The article contains several examples of informal fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing sources such as the Wall Street Journal and Tesla board members without providing any evidence or context for their claims. Additionally, the author relies on inflammatory rhetoric when describing Elon Musk's drug use as
a concern
unpredictable behavior
concerned about his substance use and unpredictable behavior that she chose not to stand for reelection to the electric car company's board, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal.
—which includes ketamine, LSD, cocaine, and ecstasy,
Bias
(85%)
The article reports that a former Tesla director did not seek reelection to the company's board due to her concerns about Elon Musk's drug use. The author also mentions that executives across Musk's companies are grappling with how to manage his erratic behavior and substance abuse, including ketamine, LSD, cocaine, and ecstasy. Additionally the article reports that some current directors have sought out help from Musk's brother over his behavior but they have been careful not to use the word 'drugs'. The author also mentions that others speculate that Musk may be under the influence when he tweeted in 2018 about funding secured for Tesla. This is an example of a biased reporting as it presents only one side of story and does not provide any counter perspective or evidence to refute these claims.
A former Tesla director didn't seek reelection to the company's board due to her drug use, per The Journal.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The article reports that Elon Musk's drug use was a concern for Tesla board members and executives across his companies. The author of the article is Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert,Hannah Getahun.
executives across Elon Musk’s companies have grappled with how to manage his drug use
executives across Elon Musk's companies have struggled with how to manage his drug use and erratic public appearances and statements.
Linda Johnson Rice, who served a two-year term on the company’s board ending in 2019, confided in Tesla board members on more than one occasion about her worries related to his substance use
Tesla board members were concerned Musk was on drugs when he made his ‘funding secured’ tweet.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Elon Musk has a conflict of interest on the topics of drug use and Tesla director Linda Johnson Rice's reelection bid. The Wall Street Journal report also mentions concerns about his substance use.
executives across Elon Musk’s companies have grappled with how to manage his drug use
executives across Elon Musk's companies have grappled with how to manage his drug use and erratic public appearances and statements.
Linda Johnson Rice, who served a two-year term on the company's board ending in 2019, confided in Tesla board members on more than one occasion about her worries related to his substance use
Tesla board members were concerned Musk was on drugs when he made his ‘funding secured’ tweet.
Elon Musk took multiple tabs of acid at a Los Angeles party he hosted in 2019 and psychedelic mushrooms in Mexico.
During an interview with The New York Times following the tweet, Elon Musk said that leading Tesla had been excruciating and that it was the most difficult year of his career.
Accuracy
Linda Johnson Rice, who became a Tesla director in 2017, didn't stand for reelection two years later out of frustration with Musk's behavior and her concerns about his drug use.
Deception
(80%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the title implies that Elon Musk may have been under the influence during an interview after his infamous tweet about taking Tesla private. However, there is no evidence to support this claim and it appears to be a sensationalized headline meant to grab readers' attention. Secondly, the article quotes sources who are privately concerned that Elon Musk might have been on drugs when he tweeted he was considering taking Tesla private in 2018. However, there is no evidence presented in the article to support this claim and it seems like a speculative statement made by anonymous sources. Thirdly, the article mentions that some board members were concerned about Elon Musk's use of Ambien and whether it could be contributing to his late-night tweeting habits. However, there is no evidence presented in the article to support this claim and it seems like a speculative statement made by anonymous sources. Finally, the article mentions that drug use may be common in Silicon Valley power players but fails to provide any context or data on how prevalent drug use is among these individuals.
The title implies that Elon Musk may have been under the influence during an interview after his infamous tweet about taking Tesla private. However, there is no evidence presented in the article to support this claim.
Fallacies
(70%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that some board members were concerned about Elon Musk's drug use without providing any evidence or quotes from the sources they spoke with. Additionally, the author makes a false dilemma by implying that either Musk was on drugs during his interview with The New York Times or he wasn't when in fact there is no concrete evidence to support this claim. Furthermore, the article contains inflammatory rhetoric by stating that drug use could be a cause for concern for someone like Musk without providing any context or explanation of why it would be concerning.
The author uses an appeal to authority when they state that some board members were concerned about Elon Musk's drug use. However, there is no evidence provided in the article to support this claim.
Bias
(85%)
The article contains multiple examples of bias. The author uses loaded language such as
and ȢFunding securedɽ
under the influence
, which implies that the following statements are evidence of bias when they may not be.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The article discusses Elon Musk's drug use and his late-night tweeting habits. It also mentions the SEC investigation into Tesla and the $420 million penalties that were imposed on them. The authors are Lloyd Lee and Hannah Getahun.
The article discusses Elon Musk's drug use, specifically mentioning Ambien, marijuana, ketamine, psychedelic mushrooms in Mexico and Los Angeles party hosted by Musk in 2019. It also mentions his late-night tweeting habits.
The article mentions the SEC investigation into Tesla and the $420 million penalties that were imposed on them.
