Elon Musk’s Political Engagement Linked to His Daughter’s Transition
Elon Musk revealed that his political involvement was sparked by his daughter Vivian Wilson being a transgender woman.
On Sunday, May 31, the X owner reacted to a tweet highlighting Wilson’s recent modeling campaign and humorously noting her unexpected impact on her father’s transition to right-wing politics. (Vivian is one of Musk’s 14 children, and he shares her with his ex-wife Justine Musk.)
“Let’s not forget that without Vivian, Elon Musk wouldn’t have engaged in politics, wouldn’t have acquired Twitter, Kamala Harris would be President, and the Left would have complete control over the development of Skynet,” an X user tweeted.
Elon responded, “True.”
The South African-born entrepreneur has increasingly engaged with conservative politics in the U.S. lately. He supported President Donald Trump’s 2024 re-election campaign and has often voiced opposition to transgender rights.
During Trump’s second term, he appointed Elon to head the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), but Musk resigned after just 130 days due to budget disagreements with the White House.
Meanwhile, Wilson, now 22, has confirmed her estrangement from Elon since 2020. In an April interview with Cosmopolitan, she stated that she is no longer affected by her relationship with Elon.
“There’s not much I can change about it, so who cares?” Wilson said. “It’s part of my narrative, but it won’t define my future.”
The model and influencer described her childhood with Elon as a “very strange and isolating experience.”
Vivian Jenna Wilson speaks onstage during the 2025 Teen Vogue Summit. Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Teen Vogue
“The upper class has their own private schools and social circles. I’ve had to unlearn so much, but even as a child, I thought, ‘This is a bit gauche,’” she recalled. “I remember being young and witnessing homelessness, which made me sick. People criticized me for being a dramatic child, but I was right to feel that way.”
In September 2025, Wilson stated that she has become “financially independent” through her modeling career.
“People think I have a lot of money, but I’m not swimming in cash,” she told The Cut. “My mom is wealthy, but the other one is beyond comprehension when it comes to wealth.”
Wilson also mentioned, “I don’t aspire to be extremely wealthy. I can afford food, have friends, a roof over my head, and a bit of leisure money, which is quite fortunate compared to many others my age in Los Angeles.”
When news surfaced in February 2025 that Elon had two sons welcomed with different mothers just months apart, Wilson admitted she learned of this through a Reddit post. (Elon welcomed his son Romulus with author Ashley St. Clair in September 2024 and another named Seldon Lycurgus with Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis in February 2025.)
“Wow, if I had a nickel for every time I learned about my half-siblings on Reddit, I’d have two nickels… which isn’t much, but it’s odd that it’s happened twice,” she joked on TikTok.
