SpaceX CEOs Worried Elon Musk Was Using Drugs Because of ‘Worry-Worthy’ Meeting: Wall Street Journal

• The Wall Street Journal reported that executives at Elon Musk’s companies are concerned about his drug use.
• At SpaceX, the outlet reported that executives were particularly concerned about Musk’s level of soaring during a “tumultuous” staff meeting.
• According to the magazine, Musk was an hour late and walked around for 15 minutes before the SpaceX chief took over.

After Elon Musk arrived nearly an hour late to an all-hands meeting at SpaceX, stuttering and slurring his words for about 15 minutes before the head of the spacecraft manufacturer took over the meeting, company executives were particularly concerned if Musk was using drugs. According to a new report by the Wall Street Journal.

The newspaper reported that Musk was unusually incoherent when he took the stage in front of SpaceX employees to discuss the development of the company’s Big Falcon rocket prototype, with one executive describing the event to the outlet as “illogical,” “disorderly,” and “disgusting.” “.

SpaceX President Gwen Shotwell had to step in for Musk and take over the meeting, according to The Journal.

Musk’s drug use, which includes LSD, cocaine, ecstasy and ketamine, according to people familiar with the matter, is the focus of a comprehensive new report from The Journal detailing how executives at several of the billionaire’s companies struggled to run his businesses. Drug abuse and erratic behavior.

At SpaceX, where illicit drug use could put the defense contractor’s billions of dollars in government contracts at risk due to federal regulations, the Journal reports on Musk’s drug use puts at risk nearly $1 trillion in assets held by investors, and about 13,000 jobs And the future of the American space program.

Musk’s representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Alex Spiro, Musk’s lawyer, told The Journal that her description of the charged meeting was “false as corroborated by countless people who were present.”

Reports had previously indicated Musk’s drug use, including ketamine to treat depression, raising concerns among board members. However, a particularly public incident landed the billionaire in an embarrassing situation after he smoked marijuana on an episode of The Joe Rogan Show.

After the episode aired, NASA insisted that SpaceX pledge in writing that the company would follow federal guidelines on drug use in the workplace and would spend $5 million in taxpayer money to train SpaceX employees, according to The Journal.

SpaceX has also begun cracking down on illegal substances at the company by bringing in drug-sniffing dogs, sources told The Journal.

His alleged drug use has also frustrated executives at his other companies, including former Tesla CEO Linda Johnson Rice.

According to the report, the manager became so concerned about the effects of his drug use that Rice did not seek re-election to the company.

Rice did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent over the weekend.

Some Tesla board members also speculated whether Musk was using drugs when he tweeted in 2018 that he wanted to take the company private, which shocked shareholders and sparked an SEC investigation.

The incident led to $40 million in fines and Musk giving up his position as Tesla president for a time.