Ashley St. Clair posted about using CRISPR to conceive Musk's child? Not true
Ashley St. Clair posted about using CRISPR to conceive Musk's child? Not true | Fact check
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Musk's son attends Oval Office as Trump signs executive order
Elon Musk attended the Oval Office with his son X as President Donald Trump signed an executive order to give Musk more power over federal workers.
The claim: Image shows author's post about conceiving child with Elon Musk using CRISPR, 'enhancements from other organisms'
A Feb. 16 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) shows a screenshot of what appears to be an X post from conservative author Ashley St. Clair about a child she said she conceived with billionaire Elon Musk
'Elon and I used IVF with PGT-M & CRISPR to ensure our baby had the best traits,' the text of the supposed post reads in part. 'Our little one's DNA now includes enhancements from other organisms for superior intelligence & health and we couldn't be happier.'
CRISPR is a technology that allows scientists to "selectively modify the DNA of living organisms," according to the National Human Genome Research Institute.
The Facebook post was shared more than 300 times in three days. The image also circulated on X, Instagram and elsewhere on Facebook.
More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page
Our rating: Manipulated media
The image is a fabrication, a spokesperson for St. Clair said. Her X profile contains no record of the post attributed to her.
'Counterfeit' post attributed to St. Clair
St. Clair – a conservative influencer, author and commentator – said in a Feb. 14 X post that Musk is the father of the child she gave birth to in 2024 and accused 'tabloid media' of attempting to make it public knowledge. Musk – the world's wealthiest person who is already the father of 12 children with at least three women, USA TODAY previously reported – had not responded to the claim as of Feb. 18.
Fact check: No, Elon Musk didn't post 'cool' image of himself behind Oval Office desk
The X post attributed to her in the Feb. 16 Facebook post, however, is a fabrication. St. Clair spokesperson Brian Glicklich described it as 'counterfeit.' There is no record of that post on her account.
The image includes what appears to be a timestamp indicating it was shared Feb. 16 at '7:21' – without indicating whether that time is AM or PM, as authentic posts on the platform do. Regardless, her profile contains no evidence that she shared a post at either time.
Versions of the image circulating on social media each indicate it had been viewed 173 times when it was captured – an indication it is a fabrication that traces to a single source. Were it real, it surely would have been captured and shared with varying numbers of views by her more than 1 million followers.
USA TODAY previously debunked false claims that Musk donated $10 million to support the families of Jan. 6 defendants, shared a post threatening to suspend X users who protest President Donald Trump's administration and banned LGBTQ Pride references on the X platform.
USA TODAY reached out to several social media users who shared the image but did not immediately receive any responses.
Lead Stories also debunked the claim.
Our fact-check sources
Brian Glicklich, Feb. 18, Email exchange with USA TODAY
Ashley St. Clair, accessed Feb. 18, X account
National Human Genome Research Institute, accessed Feb. 19, CRISPR
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USA TODAY is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, which requires a demonstrated commitment to nonpartisanship, fairness and transparency. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Meta.
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