Once the partner of the renowned entrepreneur Elon Musk, Justine Wilson has now shared some eye-opening details about their days together. The first spouse of this tech magnate disclosed the fundamental reason that led to the dissolution of their sacred union and shed light on why their marital bond was rather onerous. Musk frequently manages to snag limelight, recently due to his challenging tenure at the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
This pioneer of SpaceX is recognized for positing that his leadership managed to conserve around $65 billion, primarily through a variety of government budget reductions. According to the organization’s website, this enormous saving was made possible as a result of a blend of profit from asset disposal, contract and lease termination or renegotiation, elimination of fraudulent or wrong payments, grant revocation, accrual of interest, programmatic adjustments, regulatory savings, and human resources cuts.
Post his divorce from Justine Wilson, Musk’s personal life continued to pique public interest. The charismatic billionaire has gained quite a reputation, embarking on three marital ventures, and is believed to have fathered at least 14 children. After he dissolved his marriage with Wilson in the year 2008, he found his next partner in Hollywood – the prominent actor Talulah Riley. Their relationship had its own set of tremors with couple tying the knot in 2010, parting ways in 2012, then choosing to wed again the next year, only to conclude their bond in 2016.
Since then, Musk’s name has been entwined with the popular musician Grimes. He also expanded his family, siring four children with Shivon Zilis. Wilson shared some poignant memories from her stint as Musk’s wife. She quoted him telling her that ‘If you were my employee, I would fire you,’ to illustrate one of the harsh realities of being hitched to one of the wealthiest men in the world.
Per Wilson’s recollection, Musk once prompted her to take up a ‘Hollywood look’, which made her reflect deeply on her role in their relationship. She commented, ‘I had evolved into a trophy wife— and I was seriously inadequate at it. The endless demand for attention to detail to maintain an immaculate household or exemplify a model hostess overpowered me. I was no longer able to conceal my disenchantment when the men engaged in conversations while the women merely offered polite smiles and nods.’
A vehicular mishap that occurred in 2008 was a thorny incident, triggering Wilson’s realization of the end of her relationship with Musk. She revealed her immediate reaction to the accident was not centered around gratitude for sparing lives. Rather, it was anxiety about her husband’s prospective anger: ‘My mind raced to the image of myself: a woman who had gradually grown more slender, and more blonde, extricating herself from the ruins of a prohibitively expensive car with the front-left wheel significantly damaged.’
Wilson’s time shared with Musk led her to reflect on her self-worth and the reference to living a sidelined existence in the grand stage that was her husband’s life. Her desires matured into wanting equality and mutually reinforcing partnership – very much the same sentiment they shared prior to Musk amassing his enormous wealth. Longing for affection and to be cherished in return, she realized she had been yearning for the essence of their early marital bliss.