In Defense of Ashley St. Clair
So, scandals are trickier when you know the people involved...
October 27
The night after Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally, Denise and I found ourselves at a bar with a few team members and supporters. We were introduced to a pretty dark haired young woman, whom I had briefly crossed paths with backstage earlier. Denise took her photo. She was wearing the same gothic black MAGA hat that Elon Musk sported that night on stage. Our introduction quickly turned tense. She was critical of my coverage of certain trials, and what started as a casual conversation escalated into a clash.
My first impression of her was shaped by that conflict. I decided that night that I didn’t like her.
A month later, rumors began circulating that Ashley St. Clair had given birth to Elon Musk’s 13th child. The whispers had been growing for weeks, but I only felt confident enough to confirm it after speaking to two separate sources. I posted a coded blind item, as a nod to the gossip-filled days of the Depp-Heard trial. It was my way of breaking the news before the tabloids could catch wind. I figured better me than them.
The post, titled Election Baby Under the Radar, went live on November 30th but was taken down less than an hour later. I received a couple of calls urging me to retract it. Ashley was reportedly being stalked, receiving horrifying, photoshopped images of her older child, and sources told me she was under immense stress. The last thing she needed was for my post to escalate the situation.
The Reveal Read:
“Whispers from the exclusive corners of Palm Beach suggest the quiet arrival of a new celestial entity—another celebrated son, believed to be a few weeks old. His name, as elusive as the world he is poised to inherit, remains shrouded in secrecy. The thirteenth star in the family constellation has quietly emerged amid a historic political shift. This ‘election baby’ enters a world charged with MAGA fervor and cosmic possibility, partly powered by his father’s newfound passion for politics. Sources close to the matter trace the origins of conception to the digital corridors of X, where a young, dark-haired muse—adept in the art of algorithmic allure—first crossed paths with the prolific engineer. All are said to be thriving, though media inquiries have, for now, all been politely denied.”
A friend texted me: “I think this is where you ask yourself if you want to be the breaking news journalist or the access journalist.”
I knew when I read it that she was right. I had to be more intentional about what I shared if I wanted to maintain the trust of the inner Mar-a-Lago crew. I gained access because they trusted I wasn’t looking to expose their secrets for clicks. What once felt like a harmless flex—signaling my inside sources—was no longer necessary.
Ashley appreciated my decision to retract the post. Soon after, we were connected directly, attending the same events and hanging out whenever our schedules overlapped in New York, DC, or Palm Beach. My perception of her shifted dramatically the more I got to know her. I came to like and admire her. She had sharp political insight, unwavering dedication to her beliefs, and was a devoted mother. I visited her home before Christmas. We spent an afternoon in her apartment overlooking the city cloaked in fog, where I met her oldest child. There were no signs of another child; any signs of a new baby had been entirely concealed.
Over the following months, we found ourselves in late-night conversations about everything from the divisions within MAGA to the global empowerment of women—something Ashley is deeply passionate about. She explained how, for the first time in history, women are collectively educated and able to engage on a level closer to men, citing specific examples and statistics to support it.
I never brought up the baby.
Before I continue, I’d just like to remind everyone that in a Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni era, it’s maybe wise to pause on taking sides without thorough investigation? The truth typically takes time to surface. Unfortunately, the internet doesn’t like to take time to reflect. I assure you that what you’re reading now—the trending version circulating on social media—isn’t the full story.
