Tesla CEO Elon Musk expressed that his estranged transgender daughter was “killed” after undergoing gender-affirming care, prompting him to declare his intention to “destroy the woke mind virus.” Musk made these remarks during an interview with psychologist and conservative commentator Jordan Peterson, which aired on Monday. He condemned gender-reassignment surgery, labeling it as “child mutilation and sterilization,” and indicated that his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, received gender-affirming treatment during the pandemic, coming out as transgender at the age of 16.
Musk stated, “I was essentially tricked into signing documents for one of my older boys,” referring to Wilson, who has since changed her last name. He mentioned that at the time, he was not fully aware of the implications and was influenced by concerns that his child might consider suicide amidst the pandemic’s chaos.
He criticized the practice as something imposed on children below the legal age of consent, labeling it “incredibly evil,” and agreed with Peterson that those promoting such interventions should face imprisonment. Musk, who has a total of 12 children, claimed he was not informed that puberty blockers function as “sterilization drugs,” although it is worth noting that puberty blockers do not directly impact fertility.
“I was tricked into doing this,” Musk lamented. “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 emerged shortly after Musk announced that his companies, including X and SpaceX, would relocate to Texas in response to California’s AB1955, known as the SAFETY Act. This legislation prevents schools from imposing rules that require parental notification if a child identifies as transgender and mandates that the State Department offer resources to support LGBTQ+ children. Musk has previously faced accusations of promoting anti-trans narratives.
In 2022, Musk’s daughter sought a name change and a new birth certificate, stating in court filings that she no longer wishes to be associated with him. Musk has attributed the estrangement to the progressive education his daughter received at a Los Angeles school, as noted in Walter Isaacson’s biography of him. Isaacson suggested that the strained relationship with Wilson contributes to Musk’s vocal “anti-woke” views.
Over recent years, Musk, who once held centrist political views, has shifted towards embracing more right-wing ideologies, including topics related to diversity policies, electoral fraud, and immigration issues. Earlier this month, he endorsed the Republican presidential ticket featuring former president Donald Trump and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, both of whom support the oil industry and oppose clean energy initiatives.