The ongoing dispute between billionaire Elon Musk and political commentator Ashley St Clair has escalated into a public spectacle, with allegations, financial disputes, and social media battles dominating headlines. Here’s a breakdown of their controversial story—from their first meeting to the current legal and public fight over paternity and child support.
How did they meet?
Ashley St Clair, a media personality known for her right-wing commentary, first met Elon Musk when she was 24 years old. She has revealed that it was Musk who, after a few public interactions, slid into into her Twitter direct messages, as per a report.
When did it all begin?
The controversy erupted on February 14, 2025, when St Clair publicly claimed that Musk was the father of her child—his alleged 13th. St. Clair took to X (formerly, Twitter) on Feb 16, 2025 to share the news, where she wrote, “Five months ago, I welcomed a new baby into the world. Elon Musk is the father. I have not previously disclosed this to protect our child’s privacy and safety, but in recent days it has become clear that tabloid media intends to do so, regardless of the harm it will cause.” She added, “I intend to allow our child to grow in a normal and safe environment. For that reason, I ask that the media honor our child’s privacy, and refrain from invasive reporting.”
The paternity dispute
Musk, however, has expressed uncertainty about the child’s paternity. “I don’t know if the child is mine or not, but am not against finding out. No court order is needed. Despite not knowing for sure, I have given Ashley $2.5M and am sending her $500k/year,” Musk stated on X, formerly Twitter.
St Clair responded by accusing Musk of refusing a paternity test, despite being asked to take one before the child’s birth.
“Elon, we asked you to confirm paternity through a test before our child (who you named) was even born. You refused,” she wrote on X.
She also claimed that Musk had previously declined to have his name on the child’s birth certificate.
The $2.5 million child support debate
Musk’s claim that he provided St Clair with $2.5 million in financial support and agreed to pay $500,000 annually sparked another round of disputes.
St Clair refuted his narrative, stating that the money was not given to her personally but for the child’s welfare. She further alleged that Musk withdrew financial support as a way to exert control over her.
“And you weren’t sending me money, you were sending support for your child that you thought was necessary… until you withdrew most of it to maintain control and punish me for ‘disobedience.’ But you’re really only punishing your son,” she asserted.
The feud has played out largely on social media, with both parties making public accusations which have been nasty. Musk has called Ashley a ‘gold digger’ and a “professional gaslighter.” St Clair, in turn, has accused Musk of attempting to silence her with legal action while simultaneously using his own platform, X, to control the narrative.
“It’s ironic that your last effort in court was to try to gag me while you use a social media channel you literally own to distribute derogatory messages about me and our child to the entire world. It’s all about control with you, and everyone can see it,” she wrote.
The dispute has added further scrutiny to Musk, who is currently leading the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as part of a cost-cutting initiative.
St Clair ended one of her recent posts with a direct attack: “America needs you to grow up, you petulant man-child.”