A new documentary, "Musk," which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, presents a critical portrait of the world's richest man, Elon Musk, with allegations from former partners and associates that he harbors dangerous ambitions and has engaged in deceptive practices.
According to claims made in the film and reported by its makers, Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, has allegedly told significant untruths about his businesses to inflate stock prices. One notable accusation involves his "self-driving" car technology, with claims that he misrepresented its capabilities, leading to approximately 60 deaths and numerous lawsuits in the United States. Another alleged deception centers on his long-standing plans to colonize Mars, which the documentary suggests have been presented as imminent for about a decade without substantial progress.
Controversial Paternity and Political Ambitions
The documentary also delves into Musk's personal life and his approach to expanding his family. His first wife, Justine Wilson, who shares six children with Musk, stated that he views women as largely interchangeable, referring to them as "the breeders." Former girlfriend Ashley St Clair, mother to their son Romulus, alleged that Musk expressed a desire to "create a legion of children before the civil war," showing her direct messages from women he had offered to father children with. St Clair described this as him being a "Gatling gun of sperm."
Musk's brief tenure at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump administration is also scrutinized. St Clair recounted Musk's strong certainty about Donald Trump winning the 2024 election, stating he claimed to know the outcome hours before it was officially declared. The film also examines Musk's acquisition of Twitter, now X, which subsequently saw a significant drop in its value.
Allegations of Data Misuse and World Domination
Concerns are raised in the documentary about Musk's Starlink satellite constellation, with claims that he may have harvested data about American citizens during his involvement with DOGE. These allegations suggest he intended to use this data to interfere with midterm elections. Musk's time at DOGE, an initiative aimed at cutting federal spending, ultimately proved unsuccessful in reducing the U.S. national deficit, and Musk departed after four months, deeming the government "unfixable."
Personal Relationships and Psychological Scrutiny
The film features interviews with individuals who knew Musk closely. His first wife, Justine, recalled Musk asserting his dominance early in their relationship and expressed feelings of contempt and distance. She also detailed the traumatic loss of their first son, Nevada Alexander, to SIDS, noting discrepancies in accounts of the event.
Singer Grimes, with whom Musk has had several children, including X, Exa Dark Siderael, and Techno Mechanicus, reportedly had a contentious legal battle over custody. Grimes claimed she was unaware of the birth of Musk's twins with Shivon Zilis until it was reported by the news media.
Author and neuroscientist Sam Harris, a former friend, described Musk's behavior as "incomprehensible" and suggested his "psychopathology and neuropsychological dysregulation is translating into massive consequence in our politics, in our economy, in our geopolitics." Director Alex Gibney echoed these sentiments, warning that the combination of Musk's wealth, power, and alleged erratic behavior is a cause for concern.