Elon Musk Responds To NYT's Drug Abuse Charge From The Oval Office
Elon Musk's association with Donald Trump's administration was marked by controversy and erratic behaviour, with sources close to the billionaire entrepreneur revealing a darker side to his involvement. According to a New York Times report, Musk's consumption of ketamine, ecstasy, and psychedelic mushrooms raised eyebrows, particularly given his influential role in the "department of government efficiency".
Musk's daily medication box, containing around 20 pills, including Adderall, has sparked concerns about his substance use. In a striking contradiction, Musk told journalist Don Lemon in March 2024 that he took ketamine in small doses every two weeks, saying, "If you've used too much ketamine, you can't really get work done, and I have a lot of work." However, sources suggest he was using it far more frequently, sometimes daily, which reportedly affected his bladder.
His drug use got worse as he donated $275m to Trump's presidential campaign and then spearheaded the 'department of government efficiency', or Doge.
As Musk's role in the administration grew, so did concerns about his behavior. He was known to insult cabinet members and made a Nazi-like salute at a political rally, sparking widespread criticism. Sam Harris, a public intellectual and former friend, wrote in a January newsletter, "There is something seriously wrong with his moral compass, if not his perception of reality."
Ecstasy is a drug classified by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a Schedule I controlled substance. It has no medical use and it is completely prohibited for federal employees. Musk being a 'special government employee' was not subjected to these stringent rules. Similarly, the use of ketamine would also violate federal workplace politics, if used recreationally, although it can be legally prescribed as a Schedule III substance.
Musk's exit from government service has raised questions about the intersection of power, privilege, and substance use. With SpaceX maintaining strict drug-free policies for employees, it's unclear how Musk's habits affected his work. Insiders said that Musk received advance warnings of random drug tests - undermining their effectiveness.
To a question asked about Musk's drug use during his time in the White House, by Fox News's Peter Doocy during his farewell speech, Musk replied, 'Is the New York Times, is that the same publication that got a Pulitzer Prize for false reporting on the Russia-gate? Is that the same organisation? I think it is,' he said, turning to Trump. 'I think it is.'
'I think the judge just ruled against the New York Times for their lines about the Russia-gate hoax and they may have to give back their Pulitzer Prize. That New York Times, let's move on,' he said.
Asked if the White House had concerns about drug use by Elon Musk, as detailed by The New York Times, the White House deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, dodged the question. He told reporters outside the West Wing that 'the drugs we're concerned about are the drugs pouring across the southern border. Next question.'
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First Post
43 minutes ago
- First Post
How Ukrainian drones struck multiple Russian airbases in Kyiv's most daring operation yet
In one of its most daring operations, Ukraine struck multiple Russian airbases using long-range drones. The precision attacks damaged or destroyed over 40 strategic aircraft, including bombers used to launch missiles on Ukrainian cities read more (Left) Head of the Ukraine's Security Service Vasyl Maliuk looks at a map of an airfield, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in an unknown location in Ukraine, in this handout picture released June 1, 2025; (Right) Smoke rises above the area following what local authorities called a drone attack on a military unit in the Sredny settlement, in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict in the Usolsky district of the Irkutsk region, Russia, in this still image from a video published June 1, 2025. Ukraine press service & Telegram Ukraine successfully carried out a drone assault deep into Russian territory on Sunday, targeting strategic airbases and dealing one of the most significant blows to Moscow's military aviation assets since the start of the war. The attack, described by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a 'brilliant' and 'absolutely unique operation,' comes just ahead of renewed peace negotiations between the two countries in Istanbul. How Ukraine carried out the operation The aerial assault was the result of planning that took more than 18 months, Ukrainian officials confirmed. The attack was executed under the codename 'Spider's Web' (also referred to as 'Web' in some official communications) and targeted four key Russian airbases spread across multiple time zones. The long-range mission struck airfields in the Irkutsk region of Siberia, Olenya in the Arctic, and Ivanovo and Dyagilevo east of Moscow. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to a military source who spoke anonymously to The Associated Press, the entire operation was supervised personally by Zelenskyy. It involved the smuggling of first-person view (FPV) drones into Russian territory, where they were concealed inside mobile wooden sheds. These sheds were then mounted on trucks and transported to airfield perimeters. 'Later, drones were hidden under the roofs of these houses while already placed on trucks. At the right moment, the roofs of the houses were remotely opened, and the drones flew to hit Russian bombers,' the official said. Supporting video and images circulating on Russian social media platforms showed drones launching vertically from the trucks, with roofing panels strewn nearby on the ground. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), which claimed responsibility for the strike, estimated the total damage at approximately $7 billion and stated that 34 per cent of Russia's fleet of strategic missile carriers had been hit. These included Tu-95 and Tu-22M bombers, which Russia has used extensively for missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, as well as A-50 aircraft that serve as airborne command and control centres. How damaged is Russia's strategic aviation Ukraine's drone offensive resulted in direct hits on 41 aircraft stationed at Russian military airbases. Among the targeted planes were Tu-95 'Bear' bombers and Tu-22M supersonic aircraft. Both have been central to Russia's aerial campaign against Ukraine, delivering long-range cruise missile attacks. A-50 airborne early warning and control aircraft were also struck, a serious blow to Russian coordination and radar surveillance capabilities. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Video shared by a Ukrainian security source with Reuters showed large bombers ablaze on the tarmac. While the footage could not be independently verified, its visual matches to satellite imagery of Russian bases suggest it was filmed at the Belaya airfield in the Irkutsk region. 🇺🇦 #Ukraine - 🇷🇺 #Russia: Ukraine struck four Russian airbases in a coordinated long-range drone attack, destroying over 40 aircraft, including Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers, as well as an A-50 surveillance jet. The drones were smuggled deep into Russia, hidden inside wooden sheds… — POPULAR FRONT (@PopularFront_) June 1, 2025 Photographs provided by the source showed numerous quadcopter drones staged inside a warehouse prior to deployment. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Other images displayed the wooden shed structures with their metal roofing removed, exposing drones inside the roof cavity. Social media clips on Russian Telegram channels appeared to confirm this deployment method. Russian authorities acknowledged attacks on airbases in Irkutsk and Murmansk regions. Additionally, the Russian Ministry of Defence said air defence systems repelled drone strikes in the Amur region in the Far East and in the western territories of Ivanovo and Ryazan. These regions lie thousands of kilometres from the Ukrainian border. Igor Kobzev, governor of the Irkutsk region, confirmed a drone assault on a military unit near Sredny village, close to the Belaya base, and noted that drones had been launched from a truck. 100% made in Ukraine Zelenskyy pointed out that the entire attack had been developed and executed by Ukrainian forces without foreign military involvement. 'It's genuinely satisfying when something I authorised a year and six months ago comes to fruition and deprives Russians of over forty units of strategic aviation. We will continue this work,' he wrote in a post on X. In his nightly address, Zelenskyy stated that 117 drones were used in the assault and hailed the operation as Ukraine's longest-range strike to date. 'This is our longest-range operation,' Zelenskyy noted, adding that all personnel involved in the planning and execution had been safely evacuated from Russia shortly before the strike. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Maliuk delivered a report regarding today's operation. An absolutely brilliant result. A result achieved solely by Ukraine. One year, six months, and nine days from the start of planning to effective execution. Our most long-range… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 1, 2025 He also disclosed that the operation had been coordinated from an office positioned next to a local Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) branch — a daring detail meant to highlight the proximity and effectiveness of Ukraine's covert activities. 'This is an absolutely brilliant outcome,' Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post. 'And an outcome produced by Ukraine independently.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How Russia responded Russia launched what Ukraine's air force called the largest drone barrage since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russian forces fired 472 drones and seven missiles across various Ukrainian targets on Sunday. The head of communications for Ukraine's Air Force, Yuriy Ignat, confirmed these figures in a press briefing. A particularly deadly Russian missile strike on a Ukrainian army training unit killed at least 12 service members and wounded more than 60. The unit was located away from the front lines, but remained within reach of Russian reconnaissance and strike drones. Following the attack, Ukrainian army commander Mykhailo Drapatyi submitted his resignation. Ukraine has faced an ongoing shortage of troops and often avoids concentrated troop gatherings to reduce visibility to Russian aerial reconnaissance. 'The skies across the front line are saturated with Russian drones looking for targets,' a military spokesperson said. In a separate series of overnight incidents in Russian territory, drone debris caused fires and infrastructure damage in the Kursk and Voronezh regions. In Kursk, 57 drones were shot down, and falling wreckage ignited fires in residential areas. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In Voronezh, 16 drones were intercepted, but debris severed power lines that collapsed onto the M-4 expressway — a vital transport link. Both regional governors confirmed the incidents and stated there were no injuries. What this means for Russia-Ukraine peace talks Also on Sunday, Russian authorities reported the collapse of two bridges in separate regions — Bryansk and Kursk — both bordering Ukraine. The incidents caused train derailments and at least seven deaths. Russia's Investigative Committee initially attributed the incidents to 'explosions,' but later removed the term from its official press release, refraining from confirming the cause. The large-scale Ukrainian drone operation occurred just ahead of a scheduled round of direct peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul. Zelenskyy confirmed that Defence Minister Rustem Umerov would lead the Ukrainian delegation. Today, a brilliant operation was carried out. The preparation took over a year and a half. What's most interesting, is that the 'office' of our operation on Russian territory was located directly next to FSB headquarters in one of their regions. In total, 117 drones were used in… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 1, 2025 'We are doing everything to protect our independence, our state and our people,' Zelenskyy said in a statement on Telegram. Kyiv has demanded that Moscow provide a written memorandum outlining its position prior to negotiations. Zelenskyy also reiterated Ukraine's readiness for a ceasefire: 'Not for a single second did we want this war. Since March 11, the US proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire has been on the table. It was the Russians who chose to continue the war.' He continued, 'Pressure is truly needed, pressure on Russia that should bring it back to reality. Pressure through sanctions. Pressure from our forces. Pressure through diplomacy. All of it must work together.' US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was briefed on the attack while visiting Nellis Air Force Base. A senior American defence official said that Washington was not given advance warning of the Ukrainian drone strikes and noted that the technical complexity of the operation was unlike anything previously seen in the conflict. Also Watch: With inputs from agencies
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
'Unjustifiably low' satcom spectrum price, says COAI
India's top telcos have slammed the satcom recommendations from the telecom regulator, terming the spectrum price as 'unjustifiably low' and said that the proposals are based on "incorrect assumptions" and are "non-transparent".In their first reaction to the recommendations given by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) last month, all three bitter rival operators have closed ranks and said that if implemented in the current form, the regulator's satcom suggestions would create a non-level playing field and impact the sustainability of terrestrial services. In a strongly worded joint letter through the Cellular Operators Association of India ( COAI ) to various government authorities, seen by ET, the carriers highlighted data and said the planned capacity of Elon Musk-owned Starlink and Jeff Bezos led-Amazon Kuiper are set to surpass the current capacity of Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea. "These recommendations are non-transparent based on non-justifiable assumption rather than factual data," the telcos said in the letter, marked to Trai, Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Finance Ministry, Commerce ministry, Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity) and Niti Aayog etc. The operators have said the proposed spectrum charges are even lower than the administrative fees currently levied on GSO-based VSAT services-which do not compete with terrestrial networks. "It appears that Trai has underestimated the potential capacities of satellite network while possibly overstating those of terrestrial networks that have resulted in a flawed foundation for the entire exercise," the letter said, adding this fundamental flaw in the capacity assumptions exercise undermines the DoT's clear mandate to ensure competitive parity between satellite and terrestrial services. Trai had recommended the administrative allocation of satcom spectrum for a fee pegged at 4% of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) to be assigned for five years. There won't be any upfront fee for getting spectrum. Trai chairman AK Lahoti had categorically rejected the level-playing field argument by telcos, stating that the two technologies were different and that satellites could only be complementary. "It's not factually correct that satcom services are competing with terrestrial services because there is a huge difference between the capacity of the terrestrial network and the satellite network," he had said while releasing the recommendations. The telcos, however, feel the entire exercise was flawed as it was based on incorrect assumptions. "Despite a clear mandate from DoT, Trai's consultation process and final recommendations do not appear to address the core issue of competitive parity which shows a misalignment between the intent of DoT references and Trai's approach during the consultation process," the telcos said. The additional proposal by Trai to subsidise user terminals or satellite operators through the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) fund further tilts the level playing field against the terrestrial operator, especially given that a majority of the DBN levy is contributed by telcos.
India.com
2 hours ago
- India.com
Russia breaks silence on losing its fighter jets in Ukraine drone attacks, US expresses concerns due to...
Putin makes big statement on Ukraine after call with Donald Trump, says... New Delhi: Tensions between Ukraine and Russia continue to escalate with each passing day. It has now been over three years since the two countries became embroiled in war. On Sunday, Ukraine carried out attacks on five Russian military airfields located in the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions using FPV drones. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the attacks in the Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions were thwarted. TASS news agency, citing the Russian Defense Ministry, reported, 'The Kyiv regime carried out a terrorist attack using FPV drones on airfields in the Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions. All terrorist attacks on military airfields in the Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions were successfully foiled. There were no reports of casualties among military personnel or civilians. Some individuals involved in the terrorist attacks have been detained. In the Murmansk and Irkutsk regions, several aircraft caught fire due to FPV drone attacks near military airfields. The fires have been extinguished.' However, Russia has not provided any statement regarding the number of aircraft affected or specific details about the aircraft targeted in the drone attacks. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the prospects of resolving the conflict in Ukraine and the upcoming Russia-Ukraine talks scheduled to take place in Turkey on Monday. In a statement on its website, Lavrov's ministry said, 'The situation related to the Ukraine crisis was discussed. S.V. Lavrov and M. Rubio also exchanged views on various initiatives aimed at resolving the Ukraine crisis, including the plan to resume direct Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul on June 2.' Russia talks about retaliation US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has noted that US President Donald Trump's call for continued direct dialogue between Russia and Ukraine to achieve a 'lasting peace.' The US State Department said that during the conversation, Rubio expressed condolences over the deaths caused by the explosions on two bridges in various Russian regions near the Ukrainian border. The Russian side emphasized that the matter would be thoroughly investigated by the competent authorities and the findings would be made public. Those found responsible would be identified and undoubtedly face appropriate punishment. Russian officials stated that at least seven people were killed and 69 injured when the two bridges were blown up on Saturday.
