Justine Musk
Justine Musk reflects on her marriage to Elon Musk, including her account of their relationship and his approach to family and partners. Facebook

Elon Musk's first wife has described a difficult marriage to the billionaire, alleging that he referred to the mothers of his children as 'breeders' and viewed them as interchangeable.

Justine Musk makes the claim in Musk, a nearly four-hour documentary by Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney that premiered at the Venice Film Festival on 8 September. The film examines Musk's rise from technology entrepreneur to one of the world's most influential and controversial businessmen.

Justine was married to Musk from 2000 to 2008 and had six children with him. Their first child, Nevada Alexander, died in infancy in 2002. Musk now has 14 known children.

Justine Musk's Account

Justine Musk said in the documentary that she learned the term 'gaslighting' through her relationship with Elon Musk. She also recalled a moment during their wedding in January 2000 when Musk allegedly whispered that he was the 'alpha in this relationship.' The most striking claim concerns how she says Musk viewed the mothers of his children.

According to AFP, which reviewed the documentary, Justine said Musk referred to the women as 'breeders' and that 'the breeders are interchangeable.' The allegation is presented as part of her account of a marriage that began before Musk became a global technology and business figure.

A Family Shaped by Musk's Views

The comments have attracted attention partly because Musk has repeatedly spoken publicly about declining birth rates. He has argued that falling birth rates represent a major threat to humanity and has connected population growth with his ambition to establish a human presence on Mars. The documentary explores how those views intersect with Musk's increasingly large family.

Another former partner, Ashley St. Clair, also appears in the film. St. Clair has a child with Musk and claims she was offered a financial agreement that would have required her to remain silent about their relationship.

AFP reported that the proposed arrangement included $15 million upfront and $100,000 a month for 21 years. St. Clair rejected it, according to the documentary. She has separately said she was offered the opportunity to remain silent for $40 million. Musk has disputed that account.

Musk Rejects the Documentary

Musk did not participate in Gibney's film and has strongly criticised it. He has described the documentary as a 'hit piece' and attacked Gibney publicly on X. His lawyer, Alex Spiro, has also challenged claims made in the film and has raised the possibility of legal action over some allegations.

Gibney has defended the documentary and said he approached the project after initially having a favourable view of Musk. The filmmaker interviewed former partners, friends, business associates, and journalists while examining Musk's personal life, political influence, and business empire.

A Wider Examination

The documentary is not limited to Musk's relationships. It also examines his political shift, his involvement with Donald Trump, his time working with the Department of Government Efficiency, and his views on artificial intelligence.

But Justine Musk's account provides one of the film's most personal sections. Her allegations about the word 'breeders' remain her account of Musk's private comments. Musk has not directly responded to that specific allegation in the documentary because he declined to participate.

The result is a story about a powerful public figure told largely through the people who have known him personally, while leaving readers to distinguish between documented events, reported claims, and disputed allegations.

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