Ashley St. Clair says she rejected alleged $40m offer before speaking about Elon Musk in documentary

St. Clair said she hoped that speaking out and attempting to push back could help in some way

Ashley St. Clair claims she turned down an alleged $40 million offer to remain silent about her relationship with Elon Musk before agreeing to speak extensively about the Tesla and SpaceX chief in a new documentary.

St. Clair, Musk's former partner and the mother of his son Romulus, made the comments at a press conference at the Venice Film Festival on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, the same day Alex Gibney's documentary Musk premiered at the festival. St. Clair is prominently featured in the roughly four-hour film, which examines Musk's personal and professional life.

“I was offered the opportunity not to speak for $40 million,” St. Clair told reporters, according to PEOPLE. She said receiving such an offer made her question the value of her own voice and why someone would be willing to pay such a large amount of money to prevent her from speaking publicly.

St. Clair has previously made allegations about an offer connected to a proposed non-disclosure agreement. During an appearance on Don Lemon's video show in June, she claimed Musk had initially sent a message saying she should receive $15 million for a home and reserve capital.

She alleged that several days later, Musk aide Jared Birchall had a lengthy phone conversation with her in which he said there would need to be an NDA. St. Clair said she ultimately responded that she could not “in good conscience” sign the agreement.

Speaking in Venice, St. Clair said her decision to speak publicly was also influenced by her role as a mother. She said she wanted to set an example for her children that material comfort should never be prioritised over telling the truth.

St. Clair, 28, is now an outspoken critic of Musk after previously identifying as a conservative influencer. Reflecting on her earlier political positions, she said she had been naive and acknowledged that her previous views did not excuse any role she may have played.

She said she hoped that speaking out and attempting to push back could help in some way.

St. Clair and Musk have a son together, Romulus, and the pair have been involved in a custody dispute. St. Clair also has another child from a previous relationship.

The allegations about the reported payment have not been independently established in the PEOPLE report. Birchall and Musk's attorneys did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's requests for comment.

The claims come as Gibney's Musk attracts attention at the Venice Film Festival. The documentary examines various aspects of Musk's life and career, including his 14 children with four partners, his corporate battles, his growing involvement in politics and his ownership of Twitter, now known as X.

Musk did not participate in the documentary. Gibney said he initially wanted to speak with the billionaire but that Musk declined to take part. Instead, the filmmaker reconstructed Musk's presence in the documentary using his previous statements.

Musk has publicly criticised Gibney, calling him a “douchebag” and accusing him of being “incredibly biased”. Gibney, whose previous documentaries have examined figures and organisations including Elizabeth Holmes, Enron and the Church of Scientology, defended his approach.

The filmmaker said he began the project with an admiration for Musk but ultimately followed the facts as he investigated the story.

Musk is scheduled to open in US cinemas on October 16, 2026.