“It’s such a convenient narrative, that the reason he turned right is because I’m a f****** t*****, and that’s just not the case,” Wilson said at the time. “That’s not what that does to people.”
She also stressed that Musk was going “further” to the right, telling the outlet to “make sure you put ‘further’ in there,” and called the broader storyline “insane.”
Vivian Wilson Has Rejected That Explanation Before
Wilson, 22, is a model and transgender rights activist who has been increasingly public about her relationship with Musk, or more accurately, the lack of one. The two have been estranged since 2020.
Her comments have often focused less on celebrity family drama and more on the political climate facing LGBTQ+ people in the United States. Since Donald Trump returned to the White House, Wilson has spoken about the importance of visibility at a time when queer communities have faced renewed pressure from federal policy.
In an interview with Out magazine in May, shortly before Pride month, Wilson said queer people are constantly trying to counter hostile narratives.
“As queer people, we’re always screaming into this void that we’re not these demons you think we are,” she said. “It’s exhausting, but it’s incredibly important to lift up the queer community. We can’t stop screaming. Queer progress has gotten better and now it’s getting worse. Especially in these political times, it’s important to showcase queer joy.”
Musk’s Brief Political Role Under Trump
Musk’s formal political role was brief but turbulent. During the 2024 election cycle, he became a major supporter of Donald Trump, who went on to win the presidency for a second time.
Reports said Musk spent $288 million backing Trump’s campaign and other Republican candidates. After Trump’s victory, Musk was tapped to lead DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency. Trump established the entity in January 2025 by renaming the United States Digital Service.
The role quickly tied him to efforts to cut federal spending and shrink parts of the U.S. government. Those efforts included:
- Mass layoffs and buyout programs
- The cancellation of federal grants, leases, and vendor contracts
- Attempts to overhaul bureaucratic systems using his technology background
The arrangement did not last. Reports of tension between Musk and Trump surfaced in March 2025, followed by a public online feud. Musk criticized the Trump administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, while Trump called him “off the rails” on Truth Social.
Trump later limited Musk’s authority, and by May 2025, Musk had left the White House.
Trump’s Policies Put LGBTQ+ Rights Back In Focus
Wilson’s comments about queer visibility came in a specific political context. Shortly after returning to office, Trump revoked two Biden-era directives, including a policy intended to prevent discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.
He also signed an order recognizing only two sexes, male and female, and stating that they cannot be changed. The order said: “These sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.”
For Wilson, that context has made public advocacy more urgent. Her work in fashion and Pride campaigns is not just a career move, though yes, it is still a lingerie campaign and everyone can remain calm about that. It also places her in a broader public conversation about trans visibility, family rejection, and the way political narratives often get attached to personal lives without much concern for the person at the center.
The Father-Daughter Rift Has Been Public For Years
Wilson’s relationship with Musk has been openly strained for years. In 2022, when she was 18, she filed a petition in Los Angeles County Superior Court to legally change her name and gender.
In that filing, Wilson cited “gender identity and the fact that I no longer live with or wish to be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form.”
Musk later spoke about her in a 2024 interview with conservative Canadian psychologist and author Jordan Peterson, where he claimed Wilson had been “killed” by the “woke mind virus.” He also said he had been “tricked” into signing transition-related documents. During that interview, he deadnamed her.
Wilson has not been vague about how she feels in return. This week, during a red carpet appearance at a Desigual Vintage event in Ibiza, she cut an interview short after a reporter praised Musk.
The journalist asked, “Your father the best, no?” Wilson initially appeared to mishear the question, then her expression shifted. She replied, “Okay,” and walked away.
That moment, like Musk’s one-word reply on X, traveled quickly because the emotional stakes are easy to understand. Musk may frame his political origin story however he wants. Wilson has made clear she does not accept being turned into its explanation.
