Elon Musk and Ashley St. Clair, the estranged parents of one of Musk’s 14 children, were both absent from a Manhattan courtroom Thursday as their attorneys worked toward a possible child-support agreement in their contentious custody dispute.
At least three lawyers representing the Tesla and SpaceX chief took part in settlement discussions with three attorneys for St. Clair. Neither Musk, 55, nor St. Clair, 28, attended the afternoon proceeding.
“I’m just being cautiously optimistic. The judge himself is very gracious,” a source familiar with Musk’s side of the case told The Post.
According to the source, St. Clair is pursuing what was described as an “astronomical” financial settlement. The lawyers are expected to return to court next week in an effort to finalize the matter.
St. Clair, a children’s book author who also has a son from a previous relationship, sued Musk in February 2025. She asked the court to formally recognize him as the father of their then-2-year-old son, Romulus, and sought sole custody.
Musk later underwent court-ordered DNA testing, which confirmed that he is Romulus’ father.
In the documentary “Musk,” released earlier this month, St. Clair alleged that the billionaire reduced her monthly child-support payments from $100,000 to $20,000 after she declined to sign a nondisclosure agreement and publicly revealed in 2025 that she had given birth to his 13th child.
She also said she was facing eviction despite receiving the $20,000 monthly payments from Musk.
Musk has said he paid St. Clair $2.5 million. At the outset, he also said he was “not against finding out” whether he was the child’s father.
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The pair reportedly began a relationship in 2023 after Musk responded to St. Clair’s posts on X. She said he once messaged her: “We should have a kid.”
After she became pregnant, St. Clair said Musk’s behavior toward her changed and that he grew “weird,” according to a TikTok video she shared with followers.
St. Clair said Musk offered a $15 million lump sum along with $100,000 per month for 21 years, a package she described as totaling $40 million. She rejected the proposal, she said, because it required her to remain silent and she did not want their son to grow up feeling hidden.
She also said she did not want her child’s dignity turned into a “commodity,” she told The New York Times earlier this month.
Musk has disputed that account, claiming St. Clair fabricated the offer and saying that “she has a history of making false claims,” according to the newspaper.
Musk is the father of 14 children with four women. His latest relationship, with Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis, ended earlier this month, Zilis said.
In the documentary, St. Clair claimed that Musk texted her before their son’s birth, saying he wanted a “legion of children before the civil war.”
St. Clair’s attorney declined to comment as he left the courthouse.
The next hearing is scheduled for October 29.
