Trump rates on-off pal Elon Musk’s intelligence in Arizona rally: ‘He has a little problem’

Speaking at a rally in Bullhead City, Arizona, President Donald Trump gave a mixed assessment of Elon Musk's intellect, describing the billionaire as largely brilliant but with "a little problem." Trump made the remark while campaigning for Congressman Andy Biggs, the Republican seeking the governor's office held by Democrat Katie Hobbs, whom he called a "dumb person.", according to The Independent.

Musk, who founded Tesla, SpaceX and xAI, backed Trump's 2024 campaign and briefly ran the Department of Government Efficiency before leaving the White House in May 2025 after criticizing a major spending bill. The New York Times reported Monday that he has given more than $276 million to Republican midterm candidates since early July, with about $158 million going to the Senate Leadership Fund, according to his team.

Trump is touring the country to bolster the GOP, which is struggling even in red states such as Texas and Ohio. A recent Reuters/Ipsos survey found 65 percent of Americans disapprove of his performance and 32 percent approve. A HighGround Public Affairs survey put Hobbs roughly 17 points up on Biggs. Trump also joked about accepting a Qatari-gifted 747.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Independent’s reporting. Read the full story at The Independent →