Claims of Retaliation and Financial Pressure
In a newly released documentary by acclaimed filmmaker Alex Gibney titled Musk, former conservative influencer Ashley St. Clair has leveled serious allegations against Elon Musk. The 28-year-old claims that the tech mogul reduced monthly child support payments for their two-year-old son, Romulus, by approximately $80,000 as a direct response to her decision to speak out publicly.
According to St. Clair, Musk had initially proposed a significant financial arrangement in exchange for her silence. She alleges that he offered a one-time payment of $15 million, coupled with $100,000 per month, provided she signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). St. Clair stated that this agreement would have severely restricted her ability to speak about Musk or their child in the public sphere.
"I was never to disparage Elon. I was never to speak about anything, including his employees, his affiliates, nothing," St. Clair recounted, explaining why she turned down the offer: "I replied to Jared [Birchall, Musk's financial adviser] and said, ‘I cannot in good conscience sign this.’”
The Financial Impact
St. Clair claims that her refusal to be silenced led to immediate financial repercussions. Following her rejection of the NDA, she alleges that Musk dropped the monthly child support to $40,000. Subsequently, in February 2025—the same month she publicly confirmed the birth of their son—she claims that figure was reduced further to $20,000 per month.
In the documentary, St. Clair reflects on the shifting nature of her relationship with the billionaire, noting that he appeared "kind" until the birth of their child in September 2024. She remarked, "It was almost as if he didn’t show a certain side of himself until after I had our baby."
Legal Battles and Motivation
The situation has escalated into a complex legal conflict. In February 2025, St. Clair filed for full custody of Romulus. Furthermore, she is currently pursuing legal action against xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence company. Her lawsuit alleges negligence on the part of the company's executives after users of the Grok AI chatbot generated explicit, non-consensual imagery depicting her.
St. Clair maintains that her decision to go public about her relationship with Musk was prompted by pressure from tabloid media intending to reveal her son's birth. At the time, she posted to social media, "I intend to allow our child to grow in a normal and safe environment. For that reason, I ask that the media honor our child’s privacy, and refrain from invasive reporting."
Prioritizing Truth Over Wealth
Addressing her participation in Gibney’s film, St. Clair emphasized that the decision was not made lightly, despite the potential for further retaliation. Speaking at the Venice Film Festival, she explained:
«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 stated that her ultimate goal is to set an example for her children. "I want to set the example for my kids that you should never take being materially comfortable over speaking the truth," she added, characterizing Musk’s "most complicated relationship" as being "with the truth."