Elon Musk has hit back at former partner Ashley St. Clair after she claimed she rejected a $40 million (£29.5 million) non-disclosure agreement that would have restricted her from speaking publicly about their relationship. Musk has denied that such an offer was ever made, accusing St. Clair of having a history of making false claims.
The billionaire's response came after St. Clair discussed the alleged agreement while promoting Alex Gibney's documentary Musk at the Venice Film Festival. Her claim has become a major talking point around the film, but Musk's denial means the alleged NDA remains a disputed claim rather than an established agreement.
Elon Musk Denies the Alleged NDA
Musk responded to a TMZ post about St. Clair's claim on X on 9 September.
'She was never offered that and has a history of making false claims,' Musk wrote.
His statement directly contradicts St. Clair's account. She has said she was offered a substantial financial arrangement in exchange for remaining silent and chose to reject it so she could speak about her experiences and participate in Musk.
There is currently no publicly available evidence establishing that the alleged $40 million agreement was offered. As Musk disputes the claim, the figure should be treated as St. Clair's allegation rather than a confirmed payment offer.
Ashley St. Clair says she rejected Elon Musk's $40 million NDA 💰📝 https://t.co/SBqj4eTDrZ pic.twitter.com/MVT0msHBW1
— TMZ (@TMZ) September 8, 2026
She was never offered that and has a history of making false claims
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 9, 2026
Ashley St. Clair Says She Rejected $40 Million
St. Clair discussed the alleged NDA in connection with Musk, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival on 8 September.
According to reporting from People, St. Clair said she turned down an alleged $40 million offer because she did not want financial comfort to prevent her from speaking openly. She also said the decision was influenced by the example she wanted to set for her children.
Reuters reported that St. Clair revealed in the documentary that she had rejected a $40 million non-disclosure agreement after her relationship with Musk ended.
The reported figure has also been described in more detailed terms elsewhere. People reported that St. Clair had previously discussed an arrangement involving $15 million and $100,000 a month for 20 years.
Whatever the precise structure of the alleged offer, Musk has now publicly rejected the central claim that she was offered such an agreement.
The Claim Emerges Around Musk
The dispute comes as Gibney's nearly four-hour documentary examines Musk's business career, political influence and personal life.
St. Clair is among the people interviewed for the film, which premiered out of competition at the Venice Film Festival. Musk did not participate in the documentary, while Gibney used an AI-generated representation based on Musk's previous public statements.
The filmmaker has defended the documentary's reporting, while Musk has separately criticised the film and Gibney. Reuters reported that Gibney said his team consulted lawyers before proceeding with the project.
The documentary is scheduled to receive a US theatrical release on 16 October 2026.
A Dispute That Extends Beyond the Film
St. Clair and Musk have previously been involved in a public dispute over their relationship and their son, Romulus. St. Clair publicly identified Musk as the father of her child in 2025 and later pursued legal action concerning custody. The personal dispute has continued alongside their conflicting accounts about their relationship.
However, the alleged NDA is a separate and currently unresolved issue. St. Clair says she was offered a major financial arrangement to remain silent, while Musk says she was never offered it.
That distinction is important because the existence of the alleged agreement has not been independently established in the public reporting.
Musk and St. Clair Give Conflicting Accounts
For now, the central story is a direct clash between the two former partners.
St. Clair says she rejected an alleged $40 million NDA because she wanted to retain the freedom to speak and participate in Musk. Musk says she was never offered the agreement and has accused her of making false claims.
With the documentary now generating attention following its Venice premiere, the disagreement over the alleged NDA is likely to remain part of the conversation surrounding the film. For readers, however, the key point remains unchanged: the $40 million NDA is a disputed claim, not a confirmed agreement, and Musk has publicly denied that it was ever offered.
