Trump: Elon Musk is 80% genius...but he suffers from a “small problem”

Listen to the article. The audio text is automated, generated by an automated system

US President Donald Trump made a sarcastic comment to billionaire Elon Musk, in which he described him as an “80% super genius,” but he suffers from a “small problem,” in a joking reference that came during an election rally in Arizona on Wednesday.

Trump's statements came in the context of his attack on Democratic state governor Katie Hobbs, whom he described as "terrible," before criticizing her mental abilities and comparing them to what he described as Musk's intelligence levels.

"First, she's a stupid person. Have you ever seen her? I know smart people, from Elon to Hobbs, and I think there's a big gap between them," Trump told the audience. He added: “No, Elon is 80% a super genius, and in the other 20% he has a small problem, and I always tell him that,” before adding: “But he is a great man.”

Trump's comment comes at a time when Musk is regaining his political presence after a period of public tension with the US President, despite the continued close relationship between them on political and economic issues. Musk previously led the Government Efficiency Administration, a controversial initiative launched by the Trump administration aimed at reducing government spending and restructuring federal institutions.

In June 2025, the dispute between the two men escalated into a public exchange of accusations and insults, after Musk hinted that files related to convicted sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein were being hidden to protect Trump, which pushed the relationship between them to one of its most tense stages.

Earlier this year, Musk indicated his intention to reduce his involvement in politics, but he finally returned to electoral activity with significant financial spending, becoming, according to the report, the largest funder of election campaigns in this year’s US midterm elections.

The American billionaire hopes to support the Republicans electorally, in light of a political climate that expectations indicate may be less favorable for the party. Despite previous disagreements, Trump's recent statements reflect Musk's continued position with the president, even though the relationship between them has witnessed sharp fluctuations over the past year.