--- title: "Elon Musk’s Drug Use Becoming a Problem for Government Security Clearance" description: "SpaceX CEO Elon Musk likely won't receive top security clearances — even though roughly 400 staffers at his rocket company already have those permissions. As the Wall Street Journal reports, SpaceX lawyers advised executives not to attempt to secure higher security clearances for the mercurial CEO since that would force him to disclose information about his frequent contacts with foreign nationals, including Russian president Vladimir Putin, as well as his well-documented drug use. Musk currently holds a \"top secret\" security clearance, giving him access to \"some national security secrets\" but not the full clearance required by staff who work on […]" date: "2024-12-17" modified: "2024-12-17" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/elon-musk-drug-use-government-security-clearance" categories: - "Developments" - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "Health & Medicine" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "elon musk" - "ketamine" - "marijuana" - "SpaceX" - "vivek ramaswamy" --- # Elon Musk’s Drug Use Becoming a Problem for Government Security Clearance ![SpaceX CEO Elon Musk likely won't receive top security clearances. Lawyers advised him not to seek them due to his drug use.]() *\Image: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)\* SpaceX CEO Elon Musk may not receive top security clearances — even though roughly 400 staffers at his rocket company already have those permissions. As the [*Wall Street Journal* reports](), SpaceX lawyers advised executives not to attempt to secure higher security clearances for the mercurial CEO, since that would force him to disclose information about his frequent contacts with foreign nationals, [including Russian president Vladimir Putin](), as well as his much-rumored drug use. Musk currently holds a "top secret" security clearance, giving him access to "some national security secrets," but not the full clearance required by staff who work on classified programs, sources told the *WSJ*. Even his current security clearance took years to obtain after [famously smoking weed with Joe Rogan]() in 2018. SpaceX lawyers are also reportedly considering his [ketamine use](), a [hotly debated subject]() in the media. Worse yet, by seeking an even higher security clearance, Musk may risk losing his current "top secret" clearance, the lawyers worry. But now that he's been [put in charge of a so-called Department of Government Efficiency]() (DOGE) by president-elect Donald Trump, these concerns may soon be a moot point. Now that Musk has secured himself prominent placement among the incoming administration's ranks, the richest man in the world may soon have a much easier time accessing highly classified information. Without permissions for "sensitive compartmented information," which several hundred SpaceX employees have, Musk is reportedly unable to access certain information about his company's spy satellite program, called [Starshield](). According to the *WSJ*, he isn't even allowed to enter most facilities where related work is being done. Earlier this year, the [*WSJ* reported]() that Musk had a long history of using psychoactive drugs, [including LSD and psychedelic mushrooms](). His lawyer, however, later disputed the report, arguing that he had "never failed" a drug test at SpaceX. Whether Musk will have to fill out a full questionnaire and disclose his drug use, as well as his extensive communications with foreign nationals, remains to be seen. With the ear of the president of the United States, Musk could soon have unfettered access to highly classified information without having to jump through additional hoops. Besides, now that they're in charge of DOGE, both he and pharma exec Vivek Ramaswamy will likely have to sift through some highly classified data anyway — as they've already promised to slash the Pentagon's spending in the coming years. **More on Musk:** *[Trump Admin Planning to Drop Requirement for Tesla to Report Self-Driving Crashes]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()