Tesla CEO Elon Musk is without doubt one of the most polarizing figures of our time. A billionaire genius, an unpredictable entrepreneur, and extra lately, a political wildcard, Musk unsurprisingly consistently dominates headlines. However, whereas the eccentric billionaire’s public persona typically takes middle stage, his household has additionally discovered itself sprung into the highlight, typically for somewhat weird causes. Take his father, Errol Musk, a profitable businessman and an engineer, for instance. In 2022, Errol made headlines after opening up a couple of dramatic shootout that led to the loss of life of three burglars who broke into considered one of his rental flats within the ’90s. “I killed three. One bullet went by means of two of them,” he claimed in an interview with The Solar. Although he was first charged with manslaughter, Errol was ultimately acquitted, with authorities ruling that he acted in self-defense.

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Elon’s mom, Maye Musk, a former mannequin turned dietician, has additionally been on the middle of controversy. In November 2024, Maye shared a tweet criticizing tech reporter Ryan Mac over forward of a “hit piece” he was set to publish about her son. “Sadly, Ryan is an American Vietnamese reporter. My ebook is a bestseller in Vietnam. I do not suppose my readers will imagine the article if it is hateful and/or dishonest,” Maye added (through The Impartial). Unsurprisingly, Maye’s remark sparked criticism, with many social media customers deeming it racially insensitive. “Nobody must be singled out by their race like this. Utterly unacceptable,” one consumer wrote on X, previously generally known as Twitter.

Between a father with a sophisticated previous to a mom who’s unafraid to stir the murky waters of controversy, the Musks are something however peculiar. Here is a better have a look at the weird truths behind one of the well-known households on the earth.

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In 1970, Errol Musk married Maye Musk, and collectively, they welcomed three kids — Elon, Kimbal, and Tosca. The couple’s marriage was, nonetheless, short-lived, ending in divorce solely 9 years later. Errol has since opened up in regards to the divorce, admitting that his infidelity performed a big function. “I used to be actually horrible,” he instructed Enterprise Insider South Africa. “I had … a couple of mistresses on the facet, I did not fairly see the issue. It appeared to be fairly affordable. Wanting again, it was silly.”

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Past his quite a few affairs, Errol was additionally reportedly abusive towards Maye. In a 2019 interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the mannequin opened up in regards to the mistreatment she endured and the way their abusive state of affairs ultimately turned apparent to individuals round them. “Everyone I knew known as him ‘the Pig’ as a result of he handled me so badly in public,” she shared. “And I used to be too scared to inform anybody [about the deeper violence] … He instructed me again and again that I used to be silly, ugly, boring.”

Maye additionally recalled how even after their divorce, Errol consistently questioned her parenting expertise, typically labeling her as an unfit guardian for his or her children. In a single occasion, Errol recommended the children weren’t getting sufficient vitamins after seeing a blister on Tosca’s mouth. “He noticed a bruise on Kimbal’s arm — think about, an energetic little boy with a bruise! — and mentioned I used to be beating him,” she added.

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Following their dad and mom’ divorce, Elon Musk and his siblings remained of their mom, Maye Musk’s, care. In his teenage years, nonetheless, Elon determined to maneuver in along with his father, Errol Musk, whom he believed to be “lonely” on the time. In hindsight, this wasn’t the very best determination. “I did not actually perceive on the time what sort of individual he was. It was not a good suggestion,” he instructed Rolling Stone in 2017. “He was such a horrible human being. You don’t have any thought.”

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Through the years, the Tesla CEO has spoken overtly about his advanced relationship with Errol. In his licensed eponymous biography, “Elon Musk” by Walter Isaacson, Elon appeared again on an incident from his childhood when he was crushed by bullies at school. Regardless of getting hospitalized with a swollen face, Errol reportedly confirmed little sympathy to his son. “I needed to stand for an hour as he yelled at me and known as me an fool and instructed me that I used to be simply nugatory,” Elon Musk recalled of his father’s response to the incident.

Whereas Elon has mentioned he moved in along with his father out of concern for him, Maye Musk believes there have been some exterior influences. In her interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the mannequin claimed that Elon’s paternal grandmother manipulated him into making the transfer. “She mentioned, ‘Oh, your mom has all of you children. Your father’s so damage as a result of he is on their own. Would you like him to be alone and unhappy?’ It was an terrible trick,” Maye claimed.

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After his divorce from Maye Musk, Errol Musk quickly discovered love in Heide Bezuidenhout, whom he married in 1992. Heide, who was 20 years youthful than Errol, had a daughter, Jana Bezuidenhout, from a earlier relationship, who was solely 4 years previous on the time. Over the course of their 18-year marriage, the couple expanded their household, welcoming two kids collectively earlier than divorcing.

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In 2017, nonetheless, their marriage made headlines when information broke that Errol had fathered a toddler along with his former stepdaughter, Jana. “I received my 30-year-old girlfriend Jana pregnant and we had a child, who’s now 10 months previous,” he confirmed to The Every day Mail. In a 2018 interview with The Sunday Occasions, Errol opened up about his romantic relationship with Jana, which allegedly began after reconnecting the earlier 12 months. “We had been lonely, misplaced individuals. One factor led to a different — you may name it God’s plan or nature’s plan,” he defined.

The controversy surrounding the pair’s relationship deepened in 2022 when Errol confirmed that he had welcomed a second youngster with Jana again in 2019. Regardless of the widespread backlash, nonetheless, Errol has defended his relationship with Jana, insisting to The Sunday Occasions that he had by no means seen her as his stepdaughter. “Jana is a pleasant lady and an exquisite mom. She mentioned I had modified her life,” he added.

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Forward of the 2024 presidential election, Maye Musk didn’t maintain again from sharing her controversial opinions. In October 2024, Elon Musk, a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, took to social media, urging intending voters to register. “Tremendous vital to get all of your family and friends to register to vote,” he tweeted. Maye, nonetheless, responded to the tweet with a jab at Democrats. “The Democrats have given us an alternative choice. You do not have to register to vote,” she wrote in a since-deleted put up (through NBC Information). “On Election Day, have 10 pretend names, go to 10 polling cubicles and vote 10 instances. That is 100 votes, and it isn’t unlawful. Possibly we must always work the system too.”

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Although she initially claimed the tweet was sarcastic, Maye later clarified her stance, suggesting that Republicans could be working to stop voter fraud. “In Butler, Pennsylvania, we simply heard that the Republicans will be sure no illegals vote. Ignore my earlier put up,” she wrote. Maye’s try and stroll again her remark was, nonetheless, not well-received, with followers taking to social media to criticize her. “Sorry Maye. Too late. The injury is completed,” one consumer wrote.

Elon Musk — with 13 kids from 4 totally different moms – positive has his arms full. A lot in order that the Tesla CEO appears to have developed an more and more strained relationship with the moms of his kids. In a 2010 essay for Marie Claire, Justine Wilson, Elon’s first spouse, confirmed that she was estranged from the tech billionaire with whom she shares six kids. “I’ve labored by means of some anger, each at Elon for rendering me so disposable, and at myself for getting right into a fairy story once I ought to have identified higher,” Wilson wrote.

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Equally, Elon’s relationship with Grimes, his ex-girlfriend and mom of three of his kids, has taken a flip for the more severe. Notably, Elon and Grimes had been embroiled in a messy youngster custody battle lasting from September 2023 to November 2024. Although it’s unclear how the previous couple settled the case, there are hints suggesting that each one is just not nicely between them. As an example, in February 2025, Grimes took to social media, accusing Elon of neglecting their kid’s medical wants. “Plz reply about our kid’s medical disaster. I’m sorry to do that publicly, however it’s now not acceptable to disregard this example,” she wrote in a since-deleted tweet (through The Hollywood Reporter).

In February 2025, conservative influencer Ashley St. Clair, who claimed to have welcomed Elon’s thirteenth youngster, additionally sued the Tesla CEO for sole custody. In her petition, St. Clair famous that Elon was not concerned of their kid’s life and had solely seen him a couple of instances.

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Through the years, Elon Musk has publicly voiced his considerations in regards to the declining world delivery fee and the potential penalties for the human race. Past encouraging individuals to have extra children, the Tesla CEO, who has fathered over a dozen kids to date, has chosen to steer by instance. “Doing my greatest to assist the underpopulation disaster,” he quipped in a July 2022 tweet.

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The tech billionaire is, nonetheless, not simply having children; he has an strategy to it — procreating with girls he considers clever. In “Elon Musk,” his eponymous biography by Walter Isaacson, Neuralink government Shivon Zilis — with whom Elon welcomed a set of twins in 2021 in addition to two extra kids in 2024 and 2025 — revealed that the tech mogul solely desires sure sorts of individuals to have extra children. “He actually desires sensible individuals to have children, so he inspired me to do that … I am unable to presumably consider genes I would like for my kids,” she mentioned within the ebook.

Elon’s views align with the controversial idea of eugenics, which champions selective replica based mostly on perceived genetic superiority. Unsurprisingly, the Area X founder has reportedly at all times lamented bout the declining delivery fee amongst clever individuals. “If every successive era of sensible individuals has fewer children, that is in all probability unhealthy,” he reportedly instructed biographer Ashlee Vance (through Jacobin). Many, together with his transgender daughter, Vivian, have additionally accused Elon of utilizing his cash and affect to breed male kids by means of IVF. “So once I was female as a toddler after which turned out to be transgender, I used to be going in opposition to the product that was bought,” Vivian wrote in a put up shared on Threads.

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In January 2025, Elon Musk sparked controversy after making a one-armed gesture at a celebratory rally for Donald Trump’s inauguration. Social media followers rapidly interpreted the gesture to be the notorious Nazi salute, accusing Musk of selling fascism. “Sure, Elon Musk did a sieg heil aka the Nazi salute, and sure, that makes him a Nazi,” one consumer wrote on X. One other added: “This can be a deliberate Nazi salute. Musk did this twice. If you’re not fearful about this, you haven’t been paying any consideration.” Elon, nonetheless, responded to the backlash, dismissing the allegations and labeling the fascism narrative as “soiled tips” utilized by Democrats. “The ‘everyone seems to be Hitler’ assault is sooo drained,” he tweeted.

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Errol Musk additionally described the allegations as “nonsense,” noting that a number of politicians had made comparable gestures previously. In an interview with Al Arabiya, Errol attributed Elon’s gesture to an age-old custom. “It was a world salute that we now have had for possibly the final 10,000 years or extra maybe,” he defined within the interview. “It merely meant my proper hand is empty. I don’t carry a weapon.”

Elon Musk has overtly spoken about his father, however Errol Musk apparently additionally has rather a lot to say about his son’s strategy to fatherhood. Throughout an look on the “Vast Awake” podcast, Errol criticized his son for not spending sufficient time along with his kids and relying an excessive amount of on individuals. “He hasn’t been dad … They had been too wealthy … too many nannies,” he claimed. “Then he had 5 kids with the identical girl — 5 sons, each had its personal nanny.”

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Errol additionally commented on the tragic passing of Elon’s first youngster, Nevada Musk, in 2002. Although Nevada handed away from sudden toddler loss of life syndrome, Errol attributed his passing to Elon’s absence. “The primary youngster was an excessive amount of with nannies and died within the care of a nanny,” he accused. Regardless of his criticisms of Elon’s parenting, nonetheless, Errol spoke fondly of his grandchildren, describing them as “sensible and really nice.”

Past his parenting expertise, Errol can also be seemingly crucial of Elon profession, noting in 2022 that he wasn’t happy with all of Elon’s many accomplishments and strides when requested. “No. You recognize, we’re a household which were doing lots of issues for a very long time; it isn’t as if we out of the blue began doing one thing,” he shared on “The Kyle and Jackie O Present” (through New York Put up).

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Throughout his marriage to his first spouse, Justine Wilson, Elon Musk welcomed six kids, together with his daughter Vivian. Assigned male at delivery, Vivian got here out as transgender in 2022, legally requesting to have her final identify modified to her mom’s. Along with the identify change, Vivian additionally acknowledged in her court docket submitting that she needed to chop ties along with her well-known father. “I now not reside with or want to be associated to my organic father in any approach, form or kind,” she wrote within the petition (through AP).

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In a 2024 interview with Jordan Peterson, Elon commented on Vivian’s identification as transgender and claimed to have been misled into approving gender affirming procedures for her. “I used to be primarily tricked into signing paperwork for considered one of my older boys … This was earlier than I had actually any understanding of what was occurring, and we had COVID occurring, so there was lots of confusion, and I used to be instructed [Musk’s child] may commit suicide,” he shared. The tech billionaire has additionally declared Vivian useless a number of instances, tweeting in March 2025 that “he was killed by the woke virus.”

Vivian, has, nonetheless, additionally since pushed again in opposition to Elon, whom she described as a merciless, absent dad or mum who turned controlling when he was round. “He was chilly. He is very fast to anger. He’s uncaring and narcissistic,” she shared in an interview with NBC Information.

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For a number of years, the Musk household — who hails from South Africa — was plagued with rumors that Errol Musk owned emerald mines throughout South Africa’s Apartheid period, which lasted from 1948 to 1994. Regardless of initially telling Ask Males that Errol “had a share in an emerald mine in Zambia,” Elon Musk later denied the claims, taking to social media to refute rumors of his father’s mine possession. “He did not personal an emerald mine, & I labored my approach by means of school, ending up ~$100k in scholar debt. I could not even afford a 2nd PC at Zip2, so programmed at night time & web site solely labored throughout day,” he tweeted again in 2019.

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However in a 2020 Fb put up, Errol confirmed that he had certainly owned an emerald mine in Zambia again within the ’80s. He, nonetheless, clarified that his involvement within the enterprise lasted just a few years earlier than Russia started producing emeralds in labs in 1989, which affected many mines the world over. In a later interview, Errol detailed how he got here to personal the emerald mine after a bunch of Italians provided shares in an emerald mine as a part of the cost for his small non-public airplane. “They promptly offered me with 118, 119 reduce emeralds, as I recall, and mentioned you may have these to deposit,” he shared throughout a 2024 look on “Podcast and Chill with MacG.”

Whereas the mine was situated exterior South Africa, it’s arduous to disregard that for a few years, the Apartheid system favored the minority white individuals just like the Musk household, affording them the prospect to construct sustainable wealth and stay on the prime of social hierarchy by means of the years.

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