Ashley St. Clair Says She Walked Away From Elon Musk’s $40 Million NDA to Speak Out

Ashley St. Clair, the mother of one of Elon Musk’s children, says she walked away from a proposed $40 million nondisclosure agreement rather than accept sweeping restrictions on what she could say about the billionaire. She is now speaking publicly in a new documentary that premiered Tuesday at the Venice Film Festival.

St. Clair appeared with Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney before the world premiere of “Musk,” a nearly four-hour documentary examining Musk’s rise, businesses and growing influence over politics and public debate. Her participation comes months after she first described the alleged NDA and the financial arrangement she says accompanied it.

“I was offered the opportunity not to speak for $40 million,” St. Clair said while discussing her decision at Venice.

St. Clair previously said Musk initially directed his wealth manager, Jared Birchall, to provide $15 million for a home and reserve funds after the birth of their son. She said the proposal later developed into an arrangement offering $15 million upfront and $100,000 per month for 20 years.

According to St. Clair, the money came with broad confidentiality and non-disparagement restrictions. She said the terms would have prevented her from disparaging Musk or discussing matters involving him, his employees and his affiliates. She declined to accept the deal.

An NDA generally creates enforceable confidentiality obligations only when the parties reach a binding agreement. A proposed deal that is rejected does not, by itself, impose the restrictions contained in the offer. Separate laws involving privacy, defamation or confidential court information can still limit what someone may disclose.

St. Clair’s claims about the NDA emerged against the backdrop of a family-law dispute involving the son she shares with Musk. In February 2025, she filed petitions in New York seeking a legal determination of paternity and sole custody of the boy, who was born in September 2024.

The court fight brought details of their relationship into public view. St. Clair alleged in her custody filing that Musk had met their son only three times and had little involvement in his care. Musk later said publicly that he had provided St. Clair with millions of dollars and continued sending her substantial annual support.

The $40 million proposal became public in greater detail in June, when St. Clair discussed it during an interview with Don Lemon. She said she rejected the arrangement because she did not want financial security to depend on accepting restrictions over what she could say.

Her decision has taken on new relevance with the release of Gibney’s documentary.

In “Musk,” St. Clair discusses her relationship with Musk and offers a sharply critical assessment of his character and public conduct. Speaking at Venice, she said his “most complicated relationship is with the truth.”

Gibney said many people with personal or professional connections to Musk refused to participate in the film. The director said he encountered significant fear among critics, business associates and friends he approached during production.

St. Clair was among the people who agreed to appear. Other participants include Musk’s first wife, Justine Musk, journalist Zoë Schiffer, Tesla co-founder Martin Eberhard and artificial intelligence researcher Geoffrey Hinton.

Musk declined Gibney’s request to be interviewed for the documentary. He has attacked the project on X, accusing the filmmaker of bias and describing the movie before its premiere as a prospective “hit piece.”

Gibney began working on “Musk” in 2023. The project eventually grew to 225 minutes as the filmmaker expanded its focus beyond Musk’s businesses to his role in American politics and his relationship with President Donald Trump.

The film premiered outside competition at the Venice Film Festival on September 8. “Musk” is scheduled to open in U.S. theaters on October 16.