Tech billionaire Elon Musk was involved in a sexual relationship with a former SpaceX intern, whom he subsequently brought onto his executive team, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. Additionally, he had a sexual relationship with another employee. A third woman has claimed that Musk repeatedly asked her to bear his children; after she declined, she was denied a raise and criticized for her work performance.
Musk Tried to Revive Relationship Post Hiring
In the article titled, 'Elon Musk's Boundary-Blurring Relationships with Women at SpaceX,' claimed that one of the women who was involved in a sexual relationship with the tech billionaire also faced the wrath of SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell. The woman was accused of having an affair with Shotwell's husband. The outlet reported that Shotwell told the HR department at SpaceX that she wanted the woman removed from the office of the chief executive.
The Wall Street Journal's article references text messages, emails, and various other documents, drawing from interviews with over 48 individuals. These sources include friends and family members of the women involved, as well as former employees. The report further claims the 52-year-old, had a relationship with an intern 20 years younger than him and attempted to revive the relationship when she officially joined SpaceX.
It was also reported that Musk allegedly invited the woman for drinks and touched her breasts, supposedly remarking, "Oh I'm so bad. I shouldn't be doing this." However, in her affidavit to the Journal, the woman stated she rejected his advances, though a friend mentioned that Musk continued to text her frequently and once invited her to his home.
Musk Often Invited Employee to His Home
Musk would often urge her to visit, writing, "Come by!" When she didn't respond, he persisted, once texting, "Look, it's either me or 6am [exercise] :)" On another occasion, Musk wrote, "Just finished the Model 3 production call. It's def going to be hell for several more months." He then asked, "Are you coming over? If not, I will probably tranq out. Too stressed to sleep naturally." When his texts went unanswered, Musk eventually wrote, "Probably best if we don't see each other."
The next morning, the woman responded, "Oh man. I'm sorry, I'd already fallen asleep. I've been a late night person most of my life but have been trying to switch over because it seems responsible. Tbh. Sorry I crashed last night." Later that day, she confided in a friend about her "mild [social] anxiety resulting from imposter syndrome," which she admitted "definitely makes this job harder."
Musk did not respond to The Wall Street Journal's requests for comment. Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX's president, stated that the Journal's request for comment "paints a completely misleading narrative" of the work environment at SpaceX, asserting that the story does not accurately represent the company's culture. She also emphasized that SpaceX thoroughly investigates all harassment complaints and takes appropriate actions in response.
