Elon Musk found himself in a heated public exchange with California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office on Friday after staffers decided to get personal about the billionaire's family life.

How a Political Video Turned Personal

The clash started when Newsom's press office shared a video originally posted by America PAC, a super political action committee created by Musk. The video featured Newsom discussing his support for transgender children and highlighting his record of signing pro-trans legislation.

But the governor's office didn't just reshare the clip. They added their own commentary on X: "Correct. We're sorry your daughter hates you, Elon."

That's the kind of burn you'd expect from a Twitter reply guy, not a government press office.

Musk Fires Back With Familiar Rhetoric

Musk didn't let it slide. "I assume you're referring to my son, Xavier," he wrote, pointedly using his daughter's birth name. He blamed Newsom and others for promoting what he repeatedly calls the "woke mind virus."

He went further, describing his child as suffering from a "tragic mental illness" before adding, "I love Xavier very much and hope he recovers." Musk also noted that his other daughters "do indeed love me very much."

The Backstory With Vivian Jenna Wilson

Musk's estranged daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, is 21 years old. Born Xavier Musk, she legally changed both her name and gender, taking her mother's maiden name specifically to distance herself from her father.

According to biographer Walter Isaacson, Wilson informed others of her transition through a note that specifically asked them not to tell Musk directly.

In an August 2025 appearance on drag performer Maddy Morphosis's show, Wilson pushed back hard against her father's public statements, saying she wasn't responsible for his politics or public persona.

Musk has previously said his "son" was "dead" after signing documents approving Wilson's gender-affirming care. Those remarks drew significant backlash at the time, and this latest exchange shows the rift between father and daughter remains deeply public.