Billionaire Elon Musk has launched a legal bid to gain sole custody of his one-year-old son with conservative influencer Ashley St. Clair, following her public apology for previous comments about the transgender community.
Musk's Custody Claim Based on Social Media Posts
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, 54, announced on Monday 12 January 2026 that he would petition a court to remove the child, Romulus, from St. Clair's care. Musk stated his action was a direct response to St. Clair's online statements, which he claimed implied she "might transition a one-year-old boy." This assertion appears on his social media platform, X.
Ashley St. Clair, 27, has never publicly suggested any plans to transition their son, whom she revealed was born in September 2024. Her comments were part of a broader apology addressing past "blatant transphobia," specifically regarding Musk's estranged 21-year-old daughter, Vivian Wilson. Musk has repeatedly deadnamed Wilson and voiced conservative views opposing transgender rights.
St. Clair's Apology and Financial Struggles
In her statement on X, St. Clair expressed "immense guilt" for her previous role and the potential pain caused to her son's sister. "I have been trying incredibly hard privately to learn + advocate for those within the trans community that I've hurt," she wrote, acknowledging her fear that a retraction would be seen as "disingenuous."
Concurrently, St. Clair claims she is now facing financial ruin and eviction, labelling the fallout from her apology as "career suicide." This contradicts Musk's claim that he provided her with $2.5 million plus $500,000 annually for the child's upbringing. St. Clair countered that Musk "withdrew most of it to maintain control and punish me for 'disobedience,'" arguing he is ultimately punishing his son.
Paternity Dispute and AI Allegations
The custody battle is further complicated by an ongoing paternity dispute. Musk has previously expressed uncertainty over whether he is the father, while St. Clair alleges he refused to take a DNA test for Romulus—a name she says Musk chose himself.
In a separate and serious allegation earlier this month, St. Clair accused Musk's AI chatbot, Grok, of being used to generate inappropriate sexual images of her as a child. Elon Musk, who is the father of at least 13 other children, has not publicly responded to this specific claim.
The case highlights the intense personal and public clashes surrounding high-profile figures, social media discourse, and family law, setting the stage for a contentious legal proceeding.
