Why Elon Musk seeks custody of his son with influencer Ashley St. Clair?

Elon Musk has said he intends to seek full custody of the one-year-old son he shares with writer and influencer Ashley St. Clair, citing concerns over her recent public remarks on gender identity. Responding to a post on X, Musk said he would begin custody proceedings “today”, arguing that St. Clair’s comments suggested openness to gender transition for their child. No court filing has yet been publicly confirmed.

The statement followed online backlash over St. Clair’s recent social media activity, in which she appeared to revise earlier views and express support for trans-affirming positions. Screenshots of the posts circulated widely, prompting criticism from some users. Musk said the remarks alarmed him and raised fears about decisions that could be taken regarding his son’s future.

“I will be filing for full custody today, given her statements implying she might transition a one-year-old boy,” Musk announced. St. Clair has not issued a detailed public response to his claims.

I will be filing for full custody today, given her statements implying she might transition a one-year-old boy

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 12, 2026

Musk and St. Clair are reported to have begun interacting in 2023 after an exchange over a meme on social media. They later met in person during an interview conducted by Seth Dillon, the chief executive of the Babylon Bee, where St. Clair was employed. She has previously described their relationship as a “secretive affair”, saying Musk asked that it be kept private for security reasons.

In February last year, St. Clair revealed on X that Musk was the father of her child, saying she had kept the birth private for five months to protect the baby’s “privacy and safety”.

“Five months ago, I welcomed a new baby into the world. Elon Musk is the father,” she wrote, adding the Latin phrase “Alea lacta est”.

Months later, St. Clair claimed on a podcast that she was facing financial strain after Musk allegedly reduced monthly support payments from $100,000 to $40,000, and later to $20,000.