Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, allegedly offered conservative influencer Ashley St. Clair a $15 million lump sum payment, along with $100,000 per month in support, in exchange for keeping the birth of their child confidential, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
In February, St. Clair, 26, publicly revealed via X (formerly Twitter) that she had given birth to a son with Musk—his 14th known child—five months prior. She said she initially kept the birth private to protect her child’s “privacy and safety.” Musk, 53, has since questioned the child’s paternity on social media.
The WSJ reports that the child, named Romulus, does not carry Musk’s name on his birth certificate. A recent paternity test reportedly showed a 99.9999% probability that Musk is the father.
Jared Birchall, a longtime adviser often referred to as Musk’s “fixer,” is said to have offered St. Clair a comprehensive financial agreement: $15 million for housing and living expenses, and $100,000 monthly payments until the child turned 21. In return, St. Clair would have to keep her relationship with Musk and his paternity secret.
According to messages reviewed by the WSJ, Musk warned St. Clair of the risks of public exposure, stating he was “#2 after Trump for assassination” and insisted that “only the paranoid survive.”
St. Clair ultimately declined the offer, reportedly feeling it would make her son feel “illegitimate.” She was also concerned about the agreement’s lack of provisions for her child’s long-term wellbeing, including financial support in case of serious illness or the creation of a trust fund should Musk pass away before the child reached adulthood.
Following her public disclosure on February 14—where she confirmed Musk was the father—Musk reportedly rescinded the $15 million offer and reduced her monthly payments. The WSJ claims he decreased support from $100,000 to $40,000, and then to $20,000.
In her February post, St. Clair wrote: “Five months ago, I welcomed a new baby into the world. Elon Musk is the father. I have 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 added: “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.”
In March, Musk addressed the situation online, acknowledging that he had financially supported St. Clair, while still expressing uncertainty about paternity.
“I don’t know if the child is mine or not, but am not against finding out,” he posted. “No court order is needed. Despite not knowing for sure, I have given Ashley $2.5M and am sending her $500k/year.”
Musk is believed to have at least 14 children, including six with ex-wife Justine Musk, three with singer Grimes, and four with tech executive Shivon Zilis. Zilis welcomed her fourth child with Musk earlier this year.
