Summary: Elon Musk and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office traded public barbs on X after Musk’s PAC reposted a clip of Newsom discussing trans policy and transgender athletes. Newsom’s office mocked Musk; Musk responded by refusing to use his transgender child’s chosen name, calling the situation a “tragic mental illness” caused by an “evil woke mind virus,” and saying he hopes his child recovers. The dispute underscores heated national debates over transgender rights, medical consent for minors, and public rhetoric.
Elon Musk and Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Office Spar Over Musk’s Trans Child; Musk Blames ‘Woke Mind Virus’
Elon Musk blasts Newsom’s office, says his son is battling mental illness due to ‘evil woke mind virus’
Elon Musk and California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office engaged in a public exchange on X (formerly Twitter) after Musk’s America PAC reposted a clip of Newsom discussing pro-trans policies and transgender athletes.
The dispute began when the PAC shared a segment from The Ezra Klein Show in which Newsom said, “There’s no governor that’s done more pro-trans legislation than I have,” while addressing the question of transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. On the inaugural episode of his podcast This Is Gavin Newsom, the governor told Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk he believed it was “deeply unfair” to allow transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports—an opinion that diverges from some other prominent Democrats.
Elon Musk got into a spat with Gov. Gavin Newsom's press office over the Tesla CEO's transgender child.
Newsom’s press office replied to the repost with a mocking message on X aimed at Musk:
“Correct. We’re sorry your daughter hates you, Elon.”
Musk responded sharply on X, refusing to use his child’s chosen name, Vivian Jenna Wilson, and instead referring to the person as his son, Xavier. In his post Musk wrote that Xavier is suffering from what he described as a “tragic mental illness caused by the evil woke mind virus you push on vulnerable children,” and added, “I love Xavier very much and hope he recovers.” He also listed the children he identifies as daughters—Azure, Exa (who goes by “Y”) and Arcadia—and said they “do indeed love me very much.”
Elon Musk attends the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center June 16, 2023, in Paris.
Musk pinned a separate post stating: “If you have a womb, you are a woman. Otherwise, you are not.”
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has previously spoken about his objections to gender-related medical treatments for minors. In a 2024 interview with Dr. Jordan Peterson, Musk said he was “essentially tricked” into consenting to puberty blockers for one of his older children during the COVID period, saying there was confusion and that he had been warned the child might attempt suicide without treatment.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Inc., during a news conference with President Donald Trump, not pictured, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C.,May 30, 2025
On the subject of so-called “deadnaming,” Musk told Peterson, “I lost my son, essentially. They call it deadnaming for a reason. The reason it's called 'deadnaming' is because your son is dead. So, my son Xavier is dead, killed by the woke mind virus.” He added that he had vowed to “destroy the woke mind virus.”
The exchange highlights a broader cultural clash over transgender rights, parental consent for minors’ medical care, and heated rhetoric used by high-profile figures on social media. The back-and-forth attracted coverage from national outlets and further intensified debate about how public officials and private citizens discuss gender identity in the public sphere.
Reporting note: Portions of this story were reported by Fox News.
