On Christmas Day, Elon Musk attracted attention with a striking image in front of his holiday tree. He wore a Santa outfit and dubbed himself “Ozempic Santa,” showing off his recently slimmed-down physique.

Following the election, president-elect Donald Trump appointed Musk to co-lead the new Department of Government Efficiency. However, Musk’s Ozempic-themed post might create tension with other members of the Trump administration, notably Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the designated Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Kennedy has positioned himself firmly against Ozempic as part of his efforts to combat the growing issues of chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity. During his presidential campaign and his “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, he called on Americans to prioritize healthier diets and regular physical activity.

Is Musk using Ozempic?

So, is Musk taking Ozempic? Not exactly—he has clarified that he uses a related drug called Mounjaro instead.

Musk has faced criticism about his appearance, especially after being photographed shirtless, which spurred negative commentary.

After posting as “Ozempic Santa,” Musk confirmed he’s using Mounjaro, a once-weekly injectable medication that, alongside a healthy diet and exercise, helps manage blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. According to the manufacturer, Mounjaro helps regulate blood sugar and reduce appetite, resulting in significant weight loss for some users, although it isn’t marketed as a weight-loss solution. Musk mentioned that he initially tried Ozempic, but experienced uncomfortable side effects, saying it made him “fart & burp like Barney from the Simpsons.” He concluded that Mounjaro had fewer adverse effects and was more effective for him.

Musk’s vs. RFK Jr.’s perspectives on Ozempic

In November, the Biden administration announced that Medicare and Medicaid would cover expensive anti-obesity medications, including Wegovy and Zepbound. However, RFK Jr. expressed skepticism toward these drugs.

Kennedy has emphasized the importance of healthy eating in his “Make America Healthy Again” platform. He stated, “If we just provided three nutritious meals a day to every individual in our country, we could quickly resolve the obesity and diabetes crisis,” during an interview with Greg Gutfeld on Fox News before the election.

Conversely, Musk has strongly advocated for making weight loss medications more accessible to the public.

On Dec. 11, he stated on X, “Making GLP inhibitors affordable would drastically enhance the health and life quality of Americans.”

Interestingly, on Dec. 12, Kennedy softened his previous view during a CNBC interview, acknowledging that lifestyle changes should be the top priority but also admitting that GLP drugs do have a role to play.

It’s worth noting that while Musk’s appearance is currently under scrutiny, he previously discussed using GLP-1 agonists for weight management. In October 2022, when asked on X about his “secret” to staying fit, he responded, “Fasting, and Wegovy.”