Elon Musk Announces Plans to Seek Full Custody of Son with Ashley St. Clair Following Her Shift to Supporting the Trans Community

Elon Musk announced plans to file for full custody of his son with Ashley St. Clair, following her public apology for previous transphobic remarks. The Tesla CEO, 54, made the statement on X, indicating his concerns over St. Clair's evolving views on gender identity.

In a post dated January 12, Musk expressed his intentions clearly: “I will be filing for full custody today, given her statements implying she might transition a one-year-old boy.” This comment came in response to a user who suggested that Musk should take legal action after St. Clair shifted her stance to support the transgender community.

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

Representatives for both Musk and St. Clair did not respond to requests for comment. However, it remains unclear whether St. Clair ever explicitly stated plans for their son’s transition. Instead, she has publicly acknowledged her past comments and expressed remorse.

Over the weekend, St. Clair, who welcomed their child in September 2024, addressed her past transphobia on X after a user prompted her to confront her previous statements. “I feel immense guilt for my role,” she wrote, hinting at the impact her words may have had on Musk’s transgender daughter, Vivian.

I feel immense guilt for my role. And even more guilt that things I have said in the past may have caused my son’s sister more pain. Idrk how to make amends for many of these things but I have been trying incredibly hard privately to learn + advocate for those within the trans…

— Ashley St. Clair (@stclairashley) January 11, 2026

St. Clair continued, “Idrk how to make amends for many of these things but I have been trying incredibly hard privately to learn + advocate for those within the trans community that I’ve hurt.” She noted her hesitation to speak out previously, fearing that her support might be perceived as insincere.

“Even this reply will become right wing hysteria but yeah I am sorry,” she added, inviting suggestions on how she could contribute positively.

In August, St. Clair discussed her ongoing custody battle with Musk, describing the past year as “unplanned career suicide.” She announced the launch of her podcast, Bad Advice, on Musk’s X platform, attributing her decision to financial struggles and an eviction notice.

“Polymarket offered me $10,000 to do an ad read,” she shared. “So with that, the roof over my head has been brought to you by Polymarket.”

The couple initially connected on X while collaborating in San Francisco. St. Clair revealed their son’s existence on February 14, later confirming his name as Romulus in April.

Currently, St. Clair is pursuing sole custody of their son. Musk has denied allegations of financial retaliation against St. Clair and stated that he has provided substantial support for their child. “Despite not knowing for sure if the child is mine,” he claimed on X, “I’ve given Ashley $2.5M and am sending her $500k/year.”

St. Clair countered Musk’s assertions, stating he “refused” to undergo a paternity test prior to their child’s birth. “Elon, we asked you to confirm paternity through a test before our child (who you named) was even born,” she responded.

She further criticized Musk’s financial contributions as a means of control rather than genuine support for their son. “But you’re really only punishing your son,” she concluded.