Elon Musk criticized The New York Times (referred to as NYT) on Friday while attending a farewell press conference held by President Trump at the White House. The NYT had reported on Musk’s alleged drug use during his support for Trump’s presidential campaign last year.
The NYT’s report on Friday claimed that Musk’s drug use had raised concerns among voters.
When asked about how he would respond to the NYT’s report, Musk was standing side by side with President Trump in the Oval Office of the White House. Fox News’ Peter Doocy told Musk, “The New York Times accusation that you blurred the lines after using drugs.”
Musk immediately interrupted Doocy and asked, “The New York Times you’re talking about, the one that received a Pulitzer Prize for false reporting in the Russiagate scandal? The same media outlet?” He then turned to President Trump and said, “I think it is, I think it is!” Trump also agreed, saying, “It’s the same one.”
Musk said, “I remember, a judge just ruled that the New York Times lied in their reporting on the Russiagate hoax and may have to return the Pulitzer Prize they received, that’s the New York Times. Let’s move on.” As he spoke, he pointed at Doocy, gesturing for him to leave.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller also mocked the NYT’s report earlier on Friday, saying, “We only focus on drugs flowing into America from the southern border.”
Recently, a judge ruled to allow President Trump to continue his lawsuit against the Pulitzer Board.
In December 2022, President Trump sued the Pulitzer Board because in 2018, they awarded Pulitzer Prizes to the NYT and The Washington Post for their coverage of the so-called “Russiagate” during the 2016 election, which was later proven to be baseless. The Pulitzer Board’s lawyers had earlier requested the court to suspend the lawsuit filed by President Trump until he was no longer in office.
Friday marked Musk’s last day at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). President Trump held a joint press conference in the Oval Office, giving a detailed review of DOGE’s achievements and highly praising Musk, calling him a “pioneer of US government reform” who made “extremely significant changes” in reducing federal agencies and cutting expenses, leading an “unprecedented government reform movement,” the “most significant reform in decades,” and hinted that Musk might not truly be leaving.
(This article references a report by The Hill)