Vivian Wilson opens up about her strained relationship with Musk, calling his political stance a “marketing scheme

Elon Musk’s daughter, Vivian Wilson, has given a rare and unfiltered glimpse into her fractured relationship with her billionaire father, dismissing the idea that she played a role in his increasingly right-wing views and branding their final interactions as “cringe.”

In a 90-minute interview with YouTube influencer Hasan Piker, Wilson, 20, spoke candidly about her estrangement from Musk and how their differing worldviews led to tension. “One of the last interactions we ever had was arguing about wearing a mask,” she revealed. “He sent me this GIF of a sheep and said, ‘Stop being sheeple.’ It was cringe.”

Wilson, who legally changed her name and cut ties with Musk in 2022 after coming out as transgender, made it clear that she does not take responsibility for her father’s political leanings. “People think it’s my fault,” she said. “I cannot take credit for that, unfortunately.”

Musk has been vocal about his opposition to gender-affirming care and his scepticism of progressive ideologies, leading many to speculate that his daughter’s transition played a role in his political shift. But Wilson dismissed that theory outright.

“People think that we live in a novel and that [my transition] is some tragic character motivation,” she said. “This is not a novel. I am not the reason.”

Instead, she argued that Musk’s transformation from a tech industry darling to a conservative firebrand was a calculated move. “[Elon Musk] was not a liberal darling,” she said. “I f—ing know him, he was never on the left. It was a marketing scheme.”

Her comments echo criticisms that Musk’s public persona has been shaped more by business interests than personal convictions. As CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, Musk has built his brand on controversy, often engaging in online feuds and championing free speech absolutism. His purchase of Twitter (now X) only fuelled concerns that he was aligning himself with far-right figures.

Musk was once seen as an apolitical entrepreneur, praised by both Democrats and Republicans for his innovations in electric vehicles and space exploration. But in recent years, he has embraced a more polarising stance, attacking progressive policies and endorsing right-wing figures.

His daughter’s claim that this shift was deliberate rather than ideological adds fuel to ongoing debates about Musk’s true motivations. Critics argue that his anti-woke rhetoric and opposition to COVID-19 restrictions serve his business interests by appealing to libertarian and conservative consumers.

Wilson’s perspective offers a rare insider’s take on Musk’s evolution, suggesting that his public persona may not align with his private beliefs.

Wilson’s interview has sparked widespread discussion online, with many sympathising with her struggles while others question her portrayal of Musk. Some argue that her comments confirm long-held suspicions about Musk’s opportunistic politics, while others see them as a personal attack on a father-daughter relationship gone sour.

Musk himself has not responded to Wilson’s statements, but his history of dismissing personal criticism suggests he is unlikely to engage directly.

Despite her famous surname, Wilson has largely avoided the spotlight since severing ties with Musk. Unlike some billionaire children who embrace their family’s wealth and status, she has made it clear that she wants to forge her own path.

Her decision to speak publicly about her father, however, signals that she is willing to push back against the narrative that Musk’s politics are simply a reaction to her.

As one of the few people with an intimate understanding of Musk’s personal life, her words carry weight. Whether they will change public perception of the tech mogul remains to be seen, but they have certainly added a new layer to the ongoing debate about the world’s richest man.