Conservative author and influencer Ashley St. Clair is suing Elon Musk for legal custody of the son she claims they welcomed last fall, which would be the 13th child born to the controversial billionaire.
The children’s book author, 26, filed the petition Friday in New York Supreme Court, according to documents viewed by People. She also filed a paternity petition seeking to legally establish Musk as the father of the 5-month-old boy, referred to in the documents as R.S.C.
According to User Mag, which first reported the news, St. Clair claims she and the 53-year-old Tesla honcho began a romantic relationship in May 2023 before conceiving R.S.C. in January of last year. She reportedly gave birth to the boy on Sept. 17.
Though the SpaceX bigwig allegedly claimed “parentage of the child in various written correspondences,” as seen in screenshots included in the filing, St. Clair says Musk has refused to publicly acknowledge R.S.C. as his own.
Musk was not there for the boy’s birth and “has had no involvement in his care and upbringing,” the documents state. St. Clair claims Musk has only met their child three times, the last being in late November, and that he’s never once asked to see the boy or checked on his wellbeing without her initiating.
In one screenshot of texts shared in the filing, a sender appearing to be Musk seemingly urges St. Clair to keep quiet about their son, citing “threat level[s]” amid the presidential election. Musk was one of Donald Trump’s top campaign donors and has since been named the head of the administration’s Department of Government Efficiency.
“I’m #2 after Trump for assassination. Wake up. This is not the time for sentiment at the expense of safety,” the texts read. “If I make a mistake on security, [R.S.C.] will never know his father.”
“That’s why the father spot on his birth certificate is blank right now, E. And why he has my last name,” St. Clair responds, to which Musk allegedly said, “Necessary for now. … Loose lips sink ships.”
St. Clair first publicly announced the child on Valentine’s Day, after allegedly learning that an unnamed tabloid was planning to break the news.
“Five months ago, I welcomed a new baby into the world. “Elon Musk is the father,” she wrote on X, the platform owned by the tech exec.
At the time wrote, she said she had “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 expressed her desire for their son “to grow in a normal and safe environment” and requested the media respect the child’s privacy.
Days later, St. Clair claimed Musk had ceased contact with her, despite her numerous attempts to get in touch.
Musk has not publicly responded to any of St. Clair’s claims.
