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Elon Musk Addresses Claims of Paternity and Financial Support for Ashley St. Clair’s Child
Tech magnate Elon Musk has responded to influencer Ashley St. Clair’s assertions that he is the father of her recently born child, stating he has provided her with $2.5 million. This declaration follows St. Clair’s public claims regarding child support and Musk’s paternity.
Musk Acknowledges Financial Aid, Questions Paternity
“I am uncertain whether the child is mine, but I am open to finding out. No legal mandate is necessary,” Musk, 53, posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, March 31. “Despite this uncertainty, I have given Ashley $2.5 million and am providing her with $500,000 annually.”
Tesla Incident and Child Support Allegations
Musk’s statement was prompted by a Daily Mail report featuring video footage of St. Clair, 26, purportedly handing over her Tesla keys outside her Manhattan residence after selling the vehicle. In the video, St. Clair claimed, “I need to compensate for the 60 percent reduction that Elon made to our son’s child support.”
Related Developments
St. Clair’s Rebuttal and Accusations of Retaliation
St. Clair, who stated her last communication with Musk was on February 13, addressed whether she believed Musk was being “retaliatory” concerning their ongoing custody dispute. “Indeed, that is his established pattern when women voice their opinions,” she asserted. “Examining stock trends would reveal I am not the only one dealing with the aftermath of his actions.”
Paternity Test Dispute on Social Media
Following Musk’s $2.5 million claim, St. Clair responded via X, alleging that the technology executive “declined” an opportunity to undergo a paternity test prior to their six-month-old child’s birth. “Elon, we requested you to confirm paternity via testing before our child (whom you named) was born. You refused,” she posted on the social media platform he owns. “And you were not sending *me* funds, you were providing support for your child that you deemed requisite… until you largely rescinded it to exert control and penalize me for ‘disobedience.’ However, your son is the one truly being punished.”
Accusations of Control and Public Statements
St. Clair further stated, “The irony is palpable that your recent legal action aimed to silence me, while you simultaneously use a social media platform you own to disseminate disparaging messages about me and our child to the global audience. Control is your sole objective, and it is evident to everyone. America requires you to mature, you immature individual.”
Birth Announcement and Privacy Concerns
The influencer and author announced on February 14 the birth of her child, allegedly Musk’s 13th. “Five months prior, I welcomed a new baby into the world. Elon Musk is the father,” St. Clair wrote on X. “I previously withheld this information to safeguard our child’s privacy and security, but it has become apparent that tabloid media intends to disclose it, irrespective of the potential harm.”
She continued, “My intention is to enable our child to develop in a stable and secure environment. Therefore, I request that the media respect our child’s privacy and abstain from intrusive reporting.”
Custody Lawsuit and Court Hearing
The week after the birth announcement, St. Clair initiated legal proceedings against Musk in New York Supreme Court, seeking sole custody of their child. In her initial court filings, St. Clair contended that Musk had only met her son “three times” but had “acknowledged parentage of the child in various written communications.”
St. Clair’s legal representatives subsequently requested Musk to attend a court hearing at the New York County Courthouse in New York City on May 29. At this forthcoming hearing, Musk’s legal team will have the opportunity to argue for exemption from paternity testing.
Musk’s Existing Family
Musk has six children with former wife Justine Wilson, whom he was married to from 2000 to 2008, and three children with former partner Grimes (birth name Claire Boucher). Grimes and Musk welcomed son X Æ A-Xii in May 2020 and daughter Exa Dark Sideræl the following year. They also have a son named Techno Mechanicus.
In addition, Musk has four children with Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis. Zilis announced on February 28 the recent birth of her and Musk’s youngest son, Seldon Lycurgus, his 14th child in total. “Discussed with Elon and, considering [daughter] Arcadia’s birthday, we decided to share directly about our wonderful son Seldon Lycurgus,” she wrote on X. “Strong build, with a kind heart. Love him so much ♥️.”