Elon Musk, his kids and their mothers: Inside the billionaire’s bid to build a ‘legion’ of babies

Elon Musk isn’t just the world’s richest man – he’s a father to at least 14 children with multiple women, and his growing “legion” of offspring is central to a radical worldview shaping both his private life and public influence.
At the heart of this philosophy is Musk’s belief that a collapsing global birthrate poses an existential risk to civilization. His solution: Have more children himself – and encourage other intelligent people to do the same. That’s not just talk. He’s reportedly offered his sperm to women, used surrogates, and orchestrated secret deals through a trusted inner circle to keep his family affairs out of public view, a Wall Street Journal report said.
The Wall Street Journal investigation reveals Musk’s deeply personal efforts to “seed” the planet – and the legal, financial, and emotional fallout facing the women who’ve borne his children.

‘Harem drama’

Ashley St Clair, a 26-year-old right-wing influencer, gave birth to a son she says she conceived with Musk during a romantic relationship that began in 2023. She named the baby Romulus. According to St Clair, Musk pushed for surrogates to help them “reach legion-level before the apocalypse.”
But what started as a personal connection spiraled into a legal standoff. St Clair said she was offered a financial package worth $15 million upfront and $100,000 a month – if she signed a strict nondisclosure agreement to keep Musk’s paternity secret. She refused.
“I don’t want my son to feel like he’s a secret,” she told Musk’s trusted fixer, Jared Birchall, in a December phone call.
On the call with Birchall, St. Clair shared that a woman Musk had previously invited to have his child had reached out to her. She told Birchall she felt entangled in Musk’s “harem drama.”

Zoom in

Jared Birchall is more than a money manager. The WSJ describes him as the key intermediary between Musk and the mothers of his children, orchestrating hush-money deals, negotiating NDAs, and arranging logistics across Musk’s vast empire.
Birchall warned St Clair that legal action “always, always leads to a worse outcome for that woman.”
He told her other mothers – including Neuralink exec Shivon Zilis and musician Grimes – had signed similar agreements.
Musk offered her millions, but with caveats: No mention of his name on the birth certificate, no public acknowledgment, and no right to criticize him, even as he retained the right to speak freely about her.
Birchall’s message was clear: Privacy was paramount. “He is the biggest lightning rod on the entire planet,” he said.

Why it matters

Musk’s childbearing crusade isn’t just personal – it’s strategic.
He has said civilization “will crumble” without more children and sees himself as solving a problem governments ignore.
His companies – SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink – are all pieces of a long-term vision to make life multiplanetary and “ensure the survival of humanity.”
Musk frequently posts on X (formerly Twitter) about pronatalism and interacts with women who support his political views. Some, including influencer Tiffany Fong, say he propositioned them to have his children – even without meeting in person.
In messages reviewed by the WSJ, Musk texted St Clair that he was the “#2 after Trump for assassination” and that keeping his identity secret was about safety.

Between the lines

The Musk-St Clair case has now entered the courts. The New York Supreme Court ordered Musk to take a paternity test – which confirmed a 99.9999% probability that he is the father. Meanwhile:
Musk allegedly retaliated by slashing her monthly support from $100,000 to $40,000, then $20,000.
St Clair’s legal fees have topped $240,000.
Birchall told her that refusing to sign the agreement meant she’d forgo security, a trust fund, or medical protections for the baby.
The WSJ also reports Musk encouraged St Clair to give birth via C-section to allow for a larger-brained child, a theory he has shared publicly. He objected to circumcision for their son – something St Clair, who is Jewish, considered a religious obligation.

Musk’s mission

Musk has repeatedly said that he wants smart people to have more children – and he backs it up.
Zilis, a Yale grad and longtime associate, has four children with Musk and is seen as having “special status.”
Grimes, who had three children with him, fought a court battle over custody, claiming Musk kept one of their kids from her for five months.
Vivian Wilson, Musk’s estranged transgender daughter with Justine Musk, recently said she doesn’t even know how many siblings she has.
The WSJ uncovered text messages where Musk considered vice presidential picks for Trump, plotted strategy in battleground states, and even discussed compound housing for his children and their mothers in Austin.
One text to St Clair summed up his ambition: “I want to knock you up again.”
What’s next
This deeply personal saga has become a high-stakes legal battle. The court fight continues. And Musk’s wider ambition – to repopulate the world with his vision of superior humans – remains deeply entwined with his public power, private life, and political influence.