Elon Musk has pushed back at a claim that his transgender daughter was the reason he bought X and helped block a Kamala Harris presidency, replying from California on Monday 1 June with a single loaded word to a post linking his family life to his political and business decisions.
The comment came just as Musk's daughter, 22-year-old Vivian Wilson, appeared in a new Pride themed campaign for Rihanna's Savage x Fenty lingerie line, putting her back in the spotlight. Musk's strained relationship with Vivian has been widely reported, while his political interventions during the 2024 US presidential race have made him one of the most openly partisan tech billionaires in America.
Musk Responds To Viral Claim
The row began when an X user posting under the handle @SydSteyerhart shared news of Vivian's Savage x Fenty appearance and attached a sweeping interpretation of recent US political history.
'We should never forget that if not for Vivian, Elon Musk never would have gotten involved, never would have purchased Twitter, Kamala Harris would be President and the Left wing would have total instrumental control over the construction of Skynet,' the user wrote.
We should never forget that if not for Vivian, Elon Musk never would have gotten involved, never would have purchased Twitter, Kamala Harris would be President and the Left-wing would have total instrumental control over the construction of Skynet. https://t.co/wUXtoIv0FI
— Syd Steyerhart (@SydSteyerhart) May 31, 2026
The post suggested, without evidence, that Musk's involvement with the platform now known as X was driven by his relationship with his daughter and that this somehow changed the outcome of the 2024 election and the wider political balance in the US. The 'Skynet' reference was a nod to science fiction rather than any real government project.
On Monday morning, Musk replied directly to the post with the word 'True'. That response appeared to endorse the claim rather than challenge it.
True
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 31, 2026
What is clear is that Musk did not use the moment to correct the wider idea that his daughter's transition and his political activism are linked. There is no evidence in the reporting to support that causation, so the suggestion should still be treated as speculation rather than fact.
The post fits a wider online habit of attaching a grand motive to Musk's decisions, especially his purchase of Twitter and his move into overt political advocacy. By the time of the 2024 campaign, he was already publicly aligned with MAGA figures and had appeared at Republican friendly events, which makes the idea that one family relationship explains everything seem overly neat.
Politics And Power
Speculation around Musk's motives has been fuelled by his unusually direct role in US politics. He was heavily invested in politics as the 2024 presidential race unfolded and was described as an active supporter of the MAGA movement, including through attendance at and promotion of events tied to that wing of the Republican Party.
It also refers to claims made by Ashley St Clair, Musk's 'baby mama,' in a TikTok video last month. She suggested Musk may have interfered in the election two years earlier. There is no independent evidence in the material provided to support that allegation, and no official body has confirmed any such interference.
@ashstc there is no greater imperative for democracy than stopping the tech oligarchy #grwm product list: •la roche posay c12 serum •tatcha milky sunscreen •tatcha dewy moisturizer •saie illuminator in starglow •tarte undereye corrector in light •hourglass skin tint shade 3 • rare bronzer stick in bright side • rare blush in wisdom •nars blush in dolce vita •hourglass concealer in stone (1.3) •one size under eye powder in ultra pink • charlotte tilbury airbrush pressed powder • rhode liner in press •CT lipstick in kim kw •buxom gloss in dolly light •one size powder melt spray
♬ original sound - ashley st. clair
What is on the public record is Musk's later role in government. After Donald Trump's victory in 2024, Musk was appointed Senior Adviser to the President and put in charge of a Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE. He stepped down from both roles in May 2025.
That arc, from tech billionaire to presidential adviser, helps explain why some social media users are willing to build elaborate theories about his influence on who reaches the White House. But the suggestion that a personal relationship with his daughter sits at the centre of those decisions remains unproven.
Vivian Wilson In Focus
While her father was trading cryptic replies on X, Vivian Wilson was appearing in a campaign that could hardly be more removed from Washington.
Musk's estranged daughter features in the fifth instalment of Savage x Fenty's Pride collection, modelling a black bra with pro queer messaging, metallic silver tassels and matching underwear. The look is commercial and defiant rather than overtly political, but its timing during Pride season gives it a sharper cultural edge.
In a statement about the wider collection, Rihanna told WWD: 'Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate love in all its forms. At Savage x Fenty, we're all about embracing love in every way and creating products that let people feel confident while doing so.'
For Vivian, the campaign is described as her second major modelling role. The article says she previously appeared on the cover of Teen Vogue and spoke to Vanity Fair in 2025 about her discomfort with public exposure.
'Before this, I was very much the person who, like, didn't show any skin, ever, at all,' she said. 'Even in my day to day, like going to the beach with friends, I would, like, not wear a swimsuit... but I wanted to do the shoot because I wanted to have more confidence in my own body. I do feel confident in my own body, but I wanted to, like, prove that confidence to myself, if that makes any sense.'
She has also worked with Wildfang and modelled for inclusive underwear brand Tomboyx. Taken together, those projects suggest a career rooted in queer inclusive fashion and self presentation rather than in the political machinery now attached to her father.
While Elon Musk deals in cryptic replies and high stakes power plays, Vivian Wilson is building a separate public identity, one campaign at a time, even as social media keeps trying to fold her back into his story.
