In a surprising turn of events, Ashley St. Clair, the partner of tech magnate Elon Musk, recently sold her Tesla after claiming a significant reduction in child support. This unexpected move follows St. Clair’s announcement one month prior that she and Musk welcomed a baby together. Reports from Page Six indicated that paparazzi captured her exchanging car keys, prompting widespread discussion online.
In a clip circulated on X (formerly Twitter) on March 31, 2025, St. Clair explained her decision to sell the vehicle, stating she needed to offset a “60% cut”in child support payments from Musk. Her comments sparked varied reactions from the online community.
Responses to St. Clair’s revelation ranged from sympathetic to critical. Many users criticized Musk, with one calling him a “piece of sh*t”(*POS*) for his handling of child support and parental responsibilities. Anonymous social media comments highlighted concerns about Musk’s parenting track record, with claims that several of his former partners have expressed dissatisfaction with his involvement and financial contributions.
“Also illustrates what a total POS he is. Has at least 14 children and almost all of the mothers complain that he is a terrible dad… Another reason he moved to TX,”an X user stated.
As discussions continued, many pointed out that Musk had a motive for establishing residency in Texas, where child support obligations are reportedly lower than in other states. This strategic move allegedly serves both his financial interests and business ventures.
“Elon purposefully maintains legal residency in Texas to avoid paying his baby mamas much. TX is known for its relatively low child support caps compared to other states,”one user wrote.
Other users echoed similar sentiments, questioning Musk’s choices as the world’s wealthiest individual minimizing contributions to his children’s welfare.
“The wealthiest guy in the f**king world doesn’t pay for his children’s needs. Doesn’t. Pay. Enough,”another user remarked.
“WOW. Why would the richest man in the world be cutting 60% of child support payments (Doge),”an X user questioned.
Contrasting viewpoints emerged, with some defending St. Clair, suggesting that despite her criticisms, she possesses sufficient financial resources of her own. They characterized her actions as a potential publicity stunt.
“She has enough money to raise a child. Publicity stunt,”an X account asserted.
“So thousands a month is not enough? It’s CHILD support not MOMMY support, Ashley,”another commented.
Elon Musk’s Retort to Child Support Claims
In the wake of this social media uproar, Elon Musk responded to St. Clair’s allegations regarding the reduced child support payments. Under a post featuring St. Clair’s video, Musk stated:
“I don’t know if the child is mine or not, but I’m not against finding out. No court order is needed. Despite not knowing for sure, I have given Ashley $2.5M and am sending her $500k/year.”
Following Musk’s comments, St. Clair asserted that he declined to take a paternity test, despite requests. She further elaborated on the situation surrounding their child support agreement:
“And you weren’t sending *me* money, you were sending support for your child that you thought was necessary… until you withdrew most of it to maintain control and punish me for ‘disobedience.'”
St. Clair didn’t hold back in characterizing Musk as a “petulant man-child,”emphasizing how he manages public discussions about their child while attempting to control the narrative.
“It’s ironic that your last effort in court was to try to gag me while you use a social media channel you literally own to distribute derogatory messages about me and our child to the entire world. It’s all about control with you, and everyone can see it.”
After publicly revealing her motherhood on February 14, 2025, St. Clair submitted a court petition on February 21 to gain sole legal custody of their son. She claimed that Musk has only seen their baby a mere three times since the child’s birth in September 2024. Documents obtained by the NY Post indicate that their son, referred to as R.S.C. in legal discussions, was conceived during a trip to St. Barts in January 2024.