Susie Wiles Exposes Elon Musk as an ‘Avowed Ketamine User,’ Then Denies It When Confronted — But There’s a Recording of Her Saying It

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has found herself at the center of yet another controversy stemming from her extensive cooperation with a Vanity Fair profile, this time over remarks describing Elon Musk as an “avowed ketamine user.”

Wiles flatly denied making the comment in a New York Times interview published Monday—only for the magazine’s author to reportedly play back a recording of her saying exactly that, highlighting growing questions about candor and judgment in the Trump administration’s upper echelons.

The incident is the latest flashpoint in a two-part Vanity Fair series that has already roiled Trumpworld with unflattering insights from Wiles herself. While the chief of staff and allies have decried the piece as a “hit piece” marred by omissions and context-stripping, the Musk episode involving an audio recording—undermines efforts to dismiss the reporting outright.

Did You Know?:Karoline Leavitt Drops Raw Photo of ‘Handsome’ Husband, 60, After She Was Mocked Over Photo Manipulation

The Denial and the Damning Playback

In her Monday conversation with The New York Times—one day before Vanity Fair’s publication—Wiles, 68, addressed the anticipated Musk quote head-on: “That’s ridiculous. I wouldn’t have said it and I wouldn’t know.”

According to the Times, author Chris Whipple, who conducted months of interviews with Wiles, responded by playing the recording for her. On tape, Wiles reportedly said: “The challenge with Elon is keeping up with him. He’s an avowed ketamine [user]. And he sleeps in a sleeping bag in the EOB [Executive Office Building] in the daytime. And he’s an odd, odd duck, as I think geniuses are. You know, it’s not helpful, but he is his own person.”

The discrepancy between denial and evidence has fueled skepticism about the administration’s broader pushback against the profile, which Wiles and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt have framed as distorted.

Trending:‘Slumped’ Trump Is ‘Losing So Badly He Has No Idea What to Do’: Lawrence O’Donnell

Musk’s History with Ketamine Allegations

The remark revives scrutiny of Musk’s drug use, first detailed in a May New York Times investigation. Sources alleged the tech billionaire, 54, abused ketamine during his intense support for Trump’s 2024 campaign—sometimes daily to the point of bladder damage, a known side effect.

Musk acknowledged limited ketamine use in a March 2024 interview with Don Lemon, describing it as a “small amount” every two weeks for depression: “If you’ve used too much ketamine, you can’t really get work done, and I have a lot of work.”

Following the May report, Musk posted results from a June drug test showing negative for ketamine (among other substances). However, the test’s window—detecting use within 2-10 days—did not cover the period scrutinized by the Times.

A spokesperson for the newspaper stood by the reporting in June, noting nothing Musk presented contradicted their findings.

Musk, who served briefly as an unpaid adviser heading the short-lived Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has not commented on Wiles’ recorded statement.

After Vanity Fair’s Tuesday release, Wiles posted on X, calling the series “a disingenuously framed hit piece” that omitted context to create a “chaotic and negative narrative.” She touted the administration’s accomplishments: “The Trump White House has already accomplished more in eleven months than any other President has accomplished in eight years.”

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed the defense “Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has helped President Trump achieve the most successful first 11 months in office of any President in American history. President Trump has no greater or more loyal advisor than Susie. The entire Administration is grateful for her steady leadership and united fully behind her.”

TOP STORIES

• Vanity Fair’s Explosive Profile of Susie Wiles Exposes Cracks in Trump White House, Triggering Panic and Damage Control
• Karoline Leavitt’s Damage Control on Trump’s Chief of Staff’s Bombshell Interview Falls Flat — So She Attacks Vanity Fair Instead
• Melania’s Cryptic White House Announcement Throws Trump into Disarray: ‘I Don’t Know What She’s Doing’

The episode amplifies concerns about Wiles’ decision to grant Vanity Fair extraordinary access—over a year of interviews—despite the outlet’s perceived hostility. Allies have privately expressed bewilderment at the choice, with some questioning whether overconfidence in controlling the narrative backfired.

The recorded Musk comment, in particular, complicates claims of misrepresentation. While Wiles framed her words as praising Musk’s genius (“odd duck, as I think geniuses are”), the ketamine reference and “not helpful” qualifier strike a critical tone.