Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has revealed that he is benefiting from a controversial class of weight-loss drugs, including Mounjaro, a medication used to suppress appetite. His admission comes amid criticism from fellow top Trump adviser, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has strongly opposed these drugs, arguing they pose risks to Americans’ health.
Musk, who serves as an adviser to President-elect Donald Trump, made the revelation in a Christmas Day post on X (formerly Twitter). He shared a photo of himself dressed as Santa Claus in front of a decorated tree, but with a notably slimmer figure. “Like Cocaine Bear, but Santa and Ozempic!” Musk wrote, referencing the trendy weight-loss drug Ozempic. In a follow-up post, he clarified that he is using Mounjaro, a brand-name version of semaglutide, explaining that the name “didn’t have the same ring to it.”
Musk’s public endorsement of the drug is significant, as Kennedy, who has been tapped by Trump to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has been vocal in his opposition to semaglutide. Originally developed to treat diabetes, semaglutide has become widely popular for its weight-loss effects. Kennedy has argued that such medications, including Ozempic, are being pushed on Americans inappropriately. In an October interview, he told Fox News that Ozempic is not recommended for use in Denmark, where it was developed, and that the focus should be on dietary changes rather than relying on drugs. “They’re counting on selling it to Americans because we are so stupid and so addicted to drugs,” Kennedy added. He argued that better food quality could solve the obesity crisis in the U.S. “overnight.”
While Kennedy has criticized Ozempic, Musk believes the drug could greatly benefit public health. He has said that making Ozempic more widely available would improve overall health in the U.S.
Kennedy’s stance could put him at odds with other members of Trump’s advisory team, including Dr. Mehmet Oz, who has supported the use of drugs like Ozempic. Dr. Oz, nominated to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, has praised the potential benefits of the drug, emphasizing its role in weight loss and improving cardiovascular health.
I think the amount of good done by these medications by helping people lose weight and improve their cardiovascular system — and it might have long-term benefits in a lot of other areas as well, where obesity causes inflammation — is massive,” Oz said in an Instagram post last year.
Kennedy, who is expected to be confirmed by the Senate, appeared to soften his criticism of Ozempic in a recent interview. While still advocating for lifestyle changes as the primary approach to weight management, he acknowledged that anti-obesity drugs like Ozempic “have a place” in the U.S. medical system.
The debate over semaglutide and similar drugs continues to unfold as both Musk and Kennedy hold influential positions within Trump’s incoming administration. Representatives for Musk, Kennedy, and the Trump transition team did not respond to requests for comment.
