The Allegations Surrounding Child Support
In the recently released documentary Musk, directed by filmmaker Alex Gibney, Ashley St. Clair—a former conservative influencer—alleges that billionaire Elon Musk reduced their son's monthly child support payments by $80,000. St. Clair, who shares a 2-year-old son named Romulus with the tech mogul, claims this financial reduction was a direct response to her decision to speak publicly about their relationship.
According to St. Clair, Musk had previously presented her with a significant financial offer to ensure her silence. She alleges that he proposed a one-time payment of $15 million, supplemented by $100,000 per month, contingent upon her signing a comprehensive non-disclosure agreement (NDA). This agreement would have strictly limited her ability to discuss Musk or their child.
St. Clair stated, «I was never to disparage Elon. I was never to speak about anything, including his employees, his affiliates, nothing. I replied to Jared [Birchall] and said, 'I cannot in good conscience sign this.'»
Following her refusal, St. Clair claims the payments dropped to $40,000 monthly, and subsequently decreased to $20,000 in February 2025, around the same time she publicly confirmed the birth of their son.
Legal Battles and Motivations
The relationship between the two has become increasingly contentious. In February 2025, St. Clair initiated legal proceedings seeking full custody of Romulus. Additionally, she is currently involved in a legal dispute with Musk’s AI company, xAI, alleging negligence after users of the Grok chatbot generated explicit, AI-manipulated imagery of her.
St. Clair maintains that her initial decision to go public was prompted by impending tabloid reports regarding the child’s birth. At the time, she noted on social media: «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.»
The Decision to Participate in the Documentary
Addressing her participation in Alex Gibney’s film, St. Clair expressed that she felt compelled to prioritize integrity over financial gain. Discussing the pressure she faced at the Venice Film Festival, she remarked:
«Because on my end, I was offered the opportunity not to speak for $40 million. So when you’re offered something like that, it really causes a debate in your head about what your speech means and how valuable that is, and why do they want to offer me this amount of money to not speak?»
St. Clair added that she hopes to teach her children the importance of honesty, stating that she refuses to prioritize material comfort over the truth.