The collision between personal tragedy and political warfare rarely gets more raw than what unfolded this week between Elon Musk and California Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration.
What began as a policy disagreement escalated into deeply personal territory when Newsom’s press office decided to weaponize the painful estrangement between Musk and his transgender child. The question Americans ought to be asking is when did it become acceptable for government officials to mock a parent’s family heartbreak for political points?
The spark ignited when Musk’s America PAC shared a clip of Newsom declaring, “There’s no governor that’s done more pro-trans legislation than I have.” The statement came from an interview where Newsom discussed his record on transgender issues, even as he has recently broken ranks with fellow Democrats by acknowledging it is “deeply unfair” for transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports.
Newsom’s press office responded to the America PAC post with a comment that crossed lines most folks would consider sacred in political discourse. “Correct. We’re sorry your daughter hates you, Elon,” they wrote on the very platform Musk owns.
The Tesla CEO fired back with unvarnished emotion. “I assume you’re referring to my son, Xavier, who has a tragic mental illness caused by the evil woke mind virus you push on vulnerable children,” Musk responded. “I love Xavier very much and hope he recovers.”
Now, reasonable people can disagree about transgender policy without making it personal. But what happened here goes beyond policy disagreement. A state government’s official communication channel mocked a father’s pain over a child who legally changed names to distance from him.
Musk has been forthright about his experience, telling Dr. Jordan Peterson in 2024 that he felt “essentially tricked” into consenting to puberty blockers for his child. “I was told Xavier might commit suicide if he doesn’t,” Musk explained, describing the confusion during the COVID period when these decisions were made.
The broader context matters here. Musk pinned a post to his profile stating, “If you have a womb, you are a woman. Otherwise, you are not.” That is a biological statement millions of Americans agree with, even as it has become controversial in certain circles.
Newsom himself has recently acknowledged that Democrats “walked away” from addressing the masculinity crisis affecting men and boys. His willingness to break from party orthodoxy on transgender athletes in women’s sports suggests even progressive politicians recognize the ground has shifted on these issues.
But recognizing policy problems is different from showing basic human decency. When a governor’s office uses a parent’s estranged child as ammunition in a political fight, something has gone terribly wrong with our public discourse.
Musk maintains he has daughters who love him, naming Azure, Exa, and Arcadia. The distinction he draws between his daughters and the child he still calls Xavier reflects his belief that gender ideology has caused genuine harm to his family.
Whether you agree with Musk’s position or not, the fact remains that a state government chose to mock a father’s grief. That ought to trouble anyone who believes politics should have some boundaries, some recognition that families dealing with difficult situations deserve a measure of respect rather than ridicule from those in power.
The American people are watching how their leaders conduct themselves. They see when compassion gives way to cruelty, when policy debate descends into personal attacks. This episode will not soon be forgotten by those who value decency in public life.
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