Full Breakdown
Trump Mocked Elon Musk While Campaigning in Arizona
By Drooid · · How we work
Rally Remarks and Immediate Context
At a rally in Bullhead City, Arizona, former president Donald Trump campaigned for Congressman Andy Biggs, the Republican challenger to Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs. The remarks were part of Trump’s broader effort to energize the GOP base ahead of the November midterm elections.
Relationship Between Trump and Musk
Musk has been a longtime, if turbulent, ally of Trump. He helped stump for Trump in the 2024 election and, after Trump’s second inauguration, led the short-lived Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a White House office created to trim federal spending. Musk left the White House in May 2025 after publicly criticizing Trump’s “big, beautiful” spending bill. Since then, he has re-entered the political arena as the largest campaign donor in this year’s midterms.
Financial Support for the Midterms
Since the start of July, Musk has contributed more than $276 million to Republican candidates, according to figures provided by his team. Of that total, about $158 million went to the Senate Leadership Fund, the super PAC that backs GOP Senate hopefuls. The New York Times first reported these donations, noting that Musk’s spending makes him the top election spender for the 2024-25 cycle.
Official Statements & Responses
He also boasted about a Qatari-gifted Boeing 747 jet, remarking, “When you’re given gifts, you take them, right?” No public comment from Musk on the rally remarks was recorded in the available sources.
Verbatim Quotes
- “No, Elon’s 80 percent super genius, and 20 percent — he got a little problem, I always tell him,” — Donald Trump, log in president
- “I know smart people. I deal from Elon [Musk] down to Katie [Hobbs],” — Donald Trump, log in president
- “When you’re given gifts, you take them, right?” — Donald Trump, log in president