Elon Musk fired back at Bill Maher over a claim he made about the Tesla CEO using drugs.
Newsweek reached out to Musk’s representative via email for comment on Monday.
The Context
Musk is the richest person in the world with a current net worth of $413 billion, per Forbes. The SpaceX founder—who purchased Twitter in 2022 and changed its name to X in 2023—has two degrees from the University of Pennsylvania: a Bachelor of Science in economics and Bachelor of Arts in physics.
The former head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) made headlines recently following his social media messages directed at President Donald Trump. Their friendship turned sour over the administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which includes tax cuts and an increase to the national debt ceiling.
Scott Olson/Getty Images; Stefanie Keenan/VF25/WireImage for Vanity Fair
What To Know
On Friday’s episode of Real Time With Bill Maher, the host spoke about Musk for over six minutes. When Maher alleged Musk had “developed a drug habit,” the 53-year-old spoke out.
“Bill Maher says Elon Musk developed a drug habit,” X account @cb_doge captioned a segment of the HBO show. “This is mass propaganda trying to damage his image, just like they tried in February last year. They failed then, and they’ll fail again. Shame on them.”
In response, Musk wrote: “I’m not on drugs ffs [for f***’s sake].”
I’m not on drugs ffs 🤦♂️
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 14, 2025
In the video, Maher said Musk is an “engineering genius who figured out how to do more vital, life-shaping things than anyone since [Thomas] Edison.”
He added of Musk’s relationship with Trump: “I get it. You were hurt in your previous relationship with the left, so you threw yourself into a bad rebound.”
“We’ve all been there, man. I just want you to look at everything you developed before Trump. The electric car, the reusable rockets, the brain chips—and then look what you developed after Trump: a drug habit,” Maher continued, while referencing a Daily Beast article titled: “Insiders Spill on Elon Musk’s Frenzied Drug Use.”
In May, The New York Times reported the South Africa native had used drugs “intensely” during the 2024 presidential election, and that it went “well beyond occasional use.”
Last week, Trump was asked if Musk “had drugs here at the White House,” to which Trump responded: “I really don’t know. I don’t think so. I hope not.”
What People Are Saying
The segment about Musk on Real Time with Bill Maher was shared to the show’s YouTube channel, where many pushed back on Maher’s comment that he is an “engineering genius.”
YouTube user @Caramelle58 wrote: “Engineering genius? Doesn’t he have a bachelor in economics and a bachelor in physics? Don’t think that makes him an outstanding engineer, but he certainly had good instincts in finding the right projects to invest in, the real geniuses need people like him.”
@rksherman1 said: “I cringe when I hear Elon Musk referred to as an “Engineer” rather than a wealthy investor who has some comprehension of science who has invested in the right things at the right time. Maybe he could be considered a visionary who had the money to put together the teams that engineered his products, but don’t call him an engineer.”
@ScottHarper-u4r shared: “He doesn’t have a degree in engineering.”
Others, meanwhile, defended Musk:
@jacquelineiona1996 posted: “What Bill is saying is why I didn’t give up on Elon Musk! I still think he is a genius at engineering.”
@sardonicspartan9343 added: “I support Elon and DOGE.”
@OldToby33 chimed in: “Love him or hate him, but you can’t say Elon isn’t a visionary and a genius.”
What Happens Next
Real Time with Bill Maher airs Fridays on HBO at 10 p.m. ET.
