Elon Musk told his former partner Ashley St Clair that he wanted to have a “legion of children before the civil war”, according to a claim made by St Clair in a new documentary about the billionaire that premiered at the Venice Film Festival.St Clair, a former conservative influencer and the mother of one of Musk’s children, made the claim in Musk, a documentary directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney. She said Musk sent her the message when the two were discussing having a child together. The couple had a son, Romulus, in 2024 and later separated.St Clair also spoke about Musk’s use of X, accusing the billionaire of deliberately fuelling divisions through the social media platform.“He is creating something that is causing real-world effects with all of these inputs on X,” St Clair said during the documentary’s Venice premiere. She said she believed Musk was creating “deliberate division” that could become catastrophic without regulation.
What Ashley St Clair said about the alleged message
According to St Clair, Musk’s reference to a possible civil war was linked to his desire to have more children.The comment is presented in Gibney’s documentary as part of a broader examination of Musk’s views on population, civilisation and the future.Musk has publicly spoken about concerns over declining birth rates and has fathered 14 confirmed children with four women. The documentary examines his relationships and his approach to having children alongside his business and political activities.
St Clair says she rejected $40 million NDA offer
St Clair also claimed that Musk’s team offered her a financial package in exchange for signing a non-disclosure agreement.She said the offer included a $40 million lump-sum payment and $100,000 a month, but that she refused to sign the agreement. According to St Clair, the offer was withdrawn after she rejected the NDA.St Clair said she ultimately chose to speak publicly because she did not want to sign an agreement that would prevent her from discussing her relationship with Musk.Musk rejected the claim and said: “She was never offered that and has a history of making false claims”.
What is the Elon Musk documentary about?
Gibney’s Musk is a nearly four-hour documentary examining Musk’s rise from a technology entrepreneur to one of the world’s most powerful and controversial businessmen.The film covers Musk’s businesses, including Tesla and SpaceX, his acquisition of Twitter, now X, his political involvement and his relationship with former US President Donald Trump. It also examines his personal life and relationships.Musk did not participate in the documentary. Gibney instead interviewed former partners, colleagues, journalists and others who have worked with or known the billionaire. The filmmaker also uses a computer-generated version of Musk to represent statements the billionaire has previously made.
Ashley St Clair and Elon Musk
St Clair publicly revealed in February 2025 that she had a child with Musk. Musk subsequently acknowledged that he was the father.Their relationship later became the subject of a legal dispute involving their son.At the Venice premiere, St Clair also reflected on her own previous political activism and her former support for the MAGA movement. She is now sharply critical of Musk’s influence through X.Asked whether Musk was merely afraid of a civil war or was actively trying to create one, St Clair said she believed his use of X was contributing to real-world divisions.Gibney, meanwhile, suggested that Musk’s preoccupation with civilisational collapse could be connected to his difficult childhood in South Africa.The documentary offers a highly critical portrait of Musk, while also acknowledging his achievements in areas including electric vehicles and reusable rockets. Musk has criticised Gibney’s approach and did not agree to be interviewed for the film.The documentary is scheduled for theatrical release in October 2026.
