Elon Musk appeared to publicly acknowledge his child with right-wing influencer Ashley St. Clair on Monday, seemingly confirming his parentage almost a year after saying he was uncertain whether he was the father of the baby, who Musk is now seeking custody of over concerns St. Clair “might transition a one-year-old boy.”
Musk said he would file for full custody of the child in a post made Monday.
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Key Takeaways
- St. Clair strayed away from her reputation as a right-wing influencer in an X post last weekend and was asked about her history of transphobia, responding, “I feel immense guilt for my role.”
- St. Clair said she felt “even more guilt” for things she has previously said that “may have caused my son’s sister more pain,” referring to Vivian Wilson, Musk’s eldest daughter who came out as transgender in 2020.
- St. Clair apologized in the post, saying she has been “trying incredibly hard privately to learn + advocate for those within the trans community that I’ve hurt.”
- Musk, responding to an X user who blasted St. Clair’s apology, said he will file for full custody of the child today given St. Clair’s “statements implying she might transition a one-year-old boy.”
- St. Clair’s post did not indicate or suggest she would transition the child.
What Has St. Clair Said About The Transgender Community?
St. Clair is known for writing a children’s book titled, “Elephants Are Not Birds,” in which an elephant “learns that even though he can sing, he is not a bird, even if Culture insists that he is,” according to a synopsis. St. Clair said the book is an “unapologetic rebuke” of “transgender acceptance.”
Musk Has Fathered At Least 14
St. Clair and Musk’s baby is the billionaire’s 13th known living child. Musk has had children with at least four women including author Justine Wilson, his first wife, singer and songwriter Grimes, Neuralink operations director Shivon Zilis and St. Clair.
Musk does not appear to have a relationship with his eldest daughter Vivian, who told NBC News she was berated by Musk as a child for her “femininity and queerness.” Musk has said Vivian is “dead, killed by the woke mind virus,” while Vivian has called her father “quick to anger” and “uncaring and narcissistic.” Musk’s first child, which he fathered with Wilson, died in infancy.
Key Background
St. Clair announced her child with Musk last year, five months after the baby was born, saying she did not previously disclose the information out of privacy and safety concerns for the child but chose to do so because “tabloid media” intended to report on the baby’s existence. Musk said he did not know if the child was his in a tweet, but that he was not against finding out.
“Despite not knowing for sure,” Musk said, “I have given Ashley $2.5M and am sending her $500k/year.” St. Clair responded and said Musk refused a paternity test before the child was born, claiming the billionaire was “sending support for your child that you thought was necessary… until you withdrew most of it to maintain control and punish me for ‘disobedience.’” St. Clair filed a sole custody request and court-ordered paternity test last year in a case that is still ongoing.
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