Conservative influencer and author Ashley St. Clair initiated legal proceedings against tech magnate Elon Musk, seeking official recognition of his paternity for her five-month-old child and requesting full custody.

St. Clair's petition, filed in a New York court, details the alleged relationship between herself and Musk, claiming it began in May 2023 and resulted in the conception of a child in January 2024. She maintains she was not involved with anyone else during the relevant period. Court documents include images purportedly showing Musk with a baby and screenshots of text exchanges between the two.

Following the child's birth in September 2024, St. Clair claims she informed Musk, sharing a picture of the newborn. She alleges Musk acknowledged paternity in subsequent conversations, particularly regarding security concerns for the child. Further text messages included in the filing purportedly show Musk expressing desires to have more children with St. Clair.

St. Clair contends Musk has been largely absent from the child's life, with limited visits and no involvement in daily care. She emphasizes her role as the sole caregiver, responsible for all medical appointments and the child's overall well-being. She states Musk has not seen the child since a brief visit in November.

According to St. Clair's legal team, attempts to resolve the paternity matter privately were unsuccessful, leading to the legal action. If paternity is established, this would be Musk's thirteenth child. Musk has yet to publicly address the situation, but reacted to an online comment alleging a long-term plan by St. Clair to “ensnare” him. St. Clair responded, urging Musk to address the situation directly with her rather than engaging with online speculation.

St. Clair's lawyers released a statement expressing hope for a swift resolution to the paternity issue in the best interests of the child. This legal action follows a similar petition filed by singer Grimes, the mother of three of Musk’s children, seeking to establish parental relationship. While that dispute was reportedly settled, Grimes recently made (and later deleted) social media posts alleging difficulty in contacting Musk regarding a medical emergency involving one of their children.