Elon Musk and Ashley St. Clair skip Manhattan custody hearing

Elon Musk and Ashley St. Clair both failed to appear at a Manhattan court hearing on Thursday as their respective legal teams engaged in settlement negotiations regarding child support and custody of their 2-year-old son, Romulus.

St. Clair, a children’s book author and activist, originally sued Musk in February 2025 to establish paternity and seek sole custody. Court-ordered DNA testing has since confirmed Musk is the father. The legal battle has become increasingly public, with St. Clair alleging in a recent documentary that Musk reduced her monthly child support from $100,000 to $20,000 after she refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Musk has countered these claims, stating he has already paid St. Clair $2.5 million. A source close to Musk described the legal team as “cautiously optimistic” and noted that St. Clair is seeking an “astronomical” settlement. Lawyers for both parties are scheduled to return to court next week in an attempt to finalize the agreement.