Trump’s recent executive order regarding pharmaceutical prices has been met with skepticism, largely due to its perceived lack of substance. During the signing ceremony, the former president launched into one of his signature digressions, recounting an anecdote about an unnamed, influential businessman who supposedly influenced his decision to address drug costs. This story, filled with colorful descriptors, has sparked widespread speculation about the individual’s identity, prompting even AI chatbots to weigh in on the matter.
According to Trump’s tale, this "highly neurotic, brilliant businessman, seriously overweight" individual contacted him from London, complaining about the exorbitant price he paid for a weight-loss drug. The businessman allegedly stated that he paid only $88 for the medication in London, while the same drug cost him $1,300 in New York. This price disparity purportedly spurred Trump to take action, though the specifics of his executive order remain unclear.
The article’s author acknowledges Trump’s continued ability to captivate an audience with his storytelling, despite the often-questionable veracity of his claims. The ambiguity surrounding the businessman’s identity has fueled online discussions, with many attempting to decipher Trump’s clues and identify the person in question.
In an effort to solve the mystery, social media users turned to Grok, an AI chatbot, for assistance. When prompted with Trump’s description, Grok identified Elon Musk as the most likely candidate. The chatbot reasoned that Musk, a well-known and highly successful businessman, has publicly admitted to using weight-loss drugs like Ozempic. Additionally, Musk’s frequent international travel aligns with the businessman’s complaint about differing drug prices in London and New York.
While Grok’s assessment seems plausible, the chatbot did acknowledge one potential discrepancy. The AI noted that the "seriously overweight" label might not perfectly match Musk’s current public image. However, it also recognized Trump’s tendency to exaggerate, suggesting that the description may not be entirely accurate.
Musk has, in fact, revealed that he has been using Mounjaro, a competitor to Ozempic, for weight loss. Both drugs belong to a class of medications known as GLP-1 inhibitors, which were initially developed to treat type 2 diabetes but have gained popularity as weight-loss aids.
Regardless of the businessman’s true identity, Trump’s anecdote highlights a significant issue: the vast price differences for drugs like Ozempic between the United States and other countries. Last year, Senator Bernie Sanders confronted Doug Langa, president of Ozempic manufacturer Novo Nordisk, before Congress, demanding an explanation for the price discrepancies. Sanders pointed out that the drug costs only $92 per month in the United Kingdom, while it costs a staggering $1,349 per month in the United States.
During the hearing, Sanders accused drug manufacturers of corporate greed, characterizing the price markups as a "profound moral issue." He also noted that other companies could produce generic versions of the drugs and sell them for less than $100 per month. Sanders successfully secured a commitment from Novo Nordisk’s CEO to collaborate with pharmacy benefit managers to lower drug prices for Americans, a more tangible outcome than Trump’s executive order.
The article uses the anecdote to scrutinize drug pricing. It raises questions about what exactly the executive order would entail.
The focus quickly returns to the story. By all accounts it appears to be Musk.
Regardless of the person that Trump mentions, there seems to be an actual problem. There is a glaring disparity between the prices of these drugs in the US and the rest of the world. The senator makes a big deal out of the disparity between the prices. He attacks the company and the idea of corporate greed.
