Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated that his estranged transgender daughter was “killed” after she underwent gender-affirming care, which led him to declare his intention to “destroy the woke mind virus.”
Musk shared these remarks during a Monday interview with psychologist and conservative commentator Jordan Peterson. He referred to gender-reassignment surgery as “child mutilation and sterilization” and mentioned that his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, received gender-affirming care during the pandemic after coming out as transgender at the age of 16.
“I was essentially tricked into signing documents for one of my older boys,” Musk said, noting that Wilson no longer uses his surname. He expressed that at the time, amid the confusion of the COVID-19 pandemic, he was misled into believing that his child might take their own life.
Musk criticized the medical process involving children “who are far below the age of consent,” agreeing with Peterson that those promoting such care should be imprisoned. He also claimed he was not fully informed that puberty blockers are “actually just sterilization drugs,” although it is noted that puberty blockers do not independently affect fertility.
“I was tricked into doing this,” Musk asserted. “I lost my son, essentially. They call it ‘deadnaming’ for a reason. The reason they call it ‘deadnaming’ is because your son is dead.”
These comments came shortly after Musk announced that X and SpaceX would relocate to Texas, joining Tesla in response to California’s AB1955 legislation. This law prohibits schools from mandating parental notification if a child identifies as transgender and requires state resources be allocated to support LGBTQ+ children. Musk has faced accusations of transphobia and promoting anti-trans ideas in the past.
In 2022, Musk’s daughter sought legal name and birth certificate changes, indicating she no longer wished to be associated with her biological father. According to Walter Isaacson’s biography, Musk has attributed the estrangement to her progressive schooling in Los Angeles, suggesting it influences his “anti-woke sentiments.”
Over recent years, Musk has shifted from his previously center-left views to embrace right-wing rhetoric on a range of issues, including diversity initiatives and immigration. Earlier this month, he endorsed the Republican ticket of former President Donald Trump and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, both of whom advocate for the oil industry and oppose clean energy.