US Election: Trump calls Elon Musk “super genius” for saving lives with Starlink

Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for the 2024 U.S. presidential election, has praised tech billionaire and loyal supporter Elon Musk, calling him a “super genius.”

Speaking to his supporters on Wednesday, Trump highlighted Musk’s Starlink satellite service, which he credited with saving “a lot of lives” during Hurricane Helene’s devastation in the southeastern U.S. in October.

“I said, ‘Elon, they need it badly in North Carolina. Can you get it?’ He had it there so fast, it was incredible. It saved a lot of lives,” Trump remarked.

The former president also described Musk as “a character, he’s a special guy, he’s a super genius. We have to protect our geniuses; we don’t have that many of them.”

In October, when Trump mentioned his request for communications support, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) confirmed that 40 Starlink systems were already in place, with an additional 140 on the way.

Musk’s Starlink is a government contractor, and Musk has been a vocal supporter of Trump’s campaign, contributing financially to his efforts to return to the White House.