The Latest Updates on Elon Musk’s Paternity and Custody Drama with Ashley St. Clair

The ongoing saga between billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk and conservative influencer Ashley St. Clair has taken yet another dramatic turn, captivating the public with a mix of legal battles, social media spats, and allegations of financial retaliation. What began as a private matter has exploded into a high-profile dispute over paternity, custody, and child support, with both parties airing their grievances in court filings and on Musk’s own platform, X.

The controversy erupted in February 2025 when St. Clair, a 26-year-old author and former Babylon Bee contributor, announced on X that she had secretly given birth to Musk’s 13th child five months prior, in September 2024. In her initial post, St. Clair claimed she had kept the child’s existence under wraps to protect his privacy but felt compelled to go public due to impending tabloid leaks. She urged the media to respect her son’s safety and well-being, identified in court documents only by the initials R.S.C.

Days later, on February 21, St. Clair escalated the situation by filing two petitions in New York Supreme Court. The first sought to legally establish Musk, 53, as the father of her son through genetic testing, while the second demanded sole legal and physical custody, alleging Musk had been an absent parent. According to the filings, St. Clair and Musk began a romantic relationship in May 2023, with the child conceived during a trip to St. Barts in January 2024. She provided alleged text messages and a photograph of Musk holding the infant as evidence, including a November 2024 message where Musk purportedly wrote, “I want to knock you up again,” and a February 2025 text stating, “well, we do have a legion of kids to make.”

St. Clair’s petitions painted Musk as disengaged, claiming he was not present at the birth and had only met their son three times—twice in September 2024 and once for a brief 30-minute visit in November. “I am, and always have been, the only parent and caretaker that R.S.C. has known,” she wrote, asserting that Musk had shown no interest in custody or the child’s upbringing.

Musk, who has remained largely silent on the matter publicly, broke his silence on March 31, 2025, in a post on X. Responding to conservative commentator Laura Loomer and tagging St. Clair, he wrote, “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.” The statement suggested Musk was open to a paternity test but raised doubts about his obligations, intensifying the public feud.

St. Clair and her legal team fired back, alleging Musk had retaliated financially after she took legal action. In a statement to the press, her attorney, Karen B. Rosenthal, claimed, “Elon Musk has financially retaliated against his own child and reduced his financial support substantially and unilaterally” following the February lawsuits. St. Clair later took to X, asserting that Musk had cut child support by 60%, forcing her to sell her Tesla Model S for $100,000 to cover childcare costs. “You’re really only punishing your son,” she wrote, branding Musk a “petulant man-child.”

The dispute has also drawn attention to Musk’s broader family dynamics. With 12 other children from previous relationships—including three with musician Grimes, six with ex-wife Justine Wilson, and three with Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis—Musk’s personal life has long been a subject of fascination. His recent custody resolution with Grimes in August 2024 and her public pleas in February 2025 about an unspecified “child’s medical crisis” have only added fuel to the narrative of strained parental relationships.

Legal proceedings have progressed slowly, complicated by Musk’s high-profile role as head of President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). St. Clair’s attorneys have struggled to serve him with court papers, avoiding “sensitive locations” like the White House. On March 1, a New York judge ordered Musk to appear in court on May 29, 2025, to address the paternity and custody claims, including whether he should be compelled to take a DNA test or pay child support.

Public reaction has been polarized, with X posts reflecting a mix of support and skepticism. Some users have accused St. Clair of leveraging the situation for attention, pointing to alleged texts from 2023 where she reportedly discussed “seducing” Musk, shared by fellow influencer Isabella Moody. Others have criticized Musk, calling him out for allegedly shirking responsibility. The online debate has spawned memes and heated exchanges, amplifying the drama’s reach.

As the May court date approaches, questions linger: Will Musk submit to a paternity test? How will the court rule on custody and support? For now, the Musk-St. Clair saga remains a volatile blend of personal vendettas and legal maneuvering, with their infant son caught in the crossfire. One thing is certain—this is far from the final chapter in this unfolding story.