President Donald Trump delivered a forceful defense of Elon Musk on Friday when asked whether Democrats could target the billionaire and his businesses if they gain control of Congress. Trump said Americans have an obligation to protect brilliant people such as the Tesla and SpaceX CEO.
FOX Business White House correspondent Edward Lawrence asked [1] Trump whether he was worried that Democrats could go after Musk. Rather than sidestep the question, Trump praised the entrepreneur’s intelligence and said people like him deserve protection.
“Elon’s a brilliant guy and I have an expression: we have to protect our brilliant people because we don’t have too many of them,” Trump said. “There aren’t too many of them in the world.”
Trump continued his defense by describing Musk as a “genius” and declaring that the billionaire had done nothing wrong. His remarks presented Musk as a valuable figure whose abilities should not be casually discarded amid a change in congressional power.
“Elon has done nothing wrong,” Trump said. “Elon is a very good guy. He’s a very different kind of a guy, but I think people have an obligation to protect our geniuses. You know, there aren’t that many of them.”
President Trump vows to PROTECT Elon Musk if Democrats try to come after him if they win Congress
“Elon’s done NOTHING wrong! Elon is a very good guy.”
“I think people have an obligation to protect our geniuses. You know, there aren’t that many of them.”
“I know very well he’s a fair person.”
The Democrats have made VERY clear they’re going to target Elon in their witch hunts. We can’t allow that to happen.
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 23, 2026 [2]
The comments followed reports that Democratic lawmakers have been considering potential investigations involving Musk and his businesses. Those investigations could become possible if Democrats gain control of one or both chambers of Congress during the midterm elections.
Earlier in the week, Musk responded directly to a Politico story detailing how Democrats had considered ways to investigate him and his businesses. His answer made clear that he was not planning to quietly absorb whatever congressional Democrats might have in store.
“Live by the sword, die by the sword,” Musk wrote on X. “Those who pick fights with me should understand that I will find out who is really pulling the strings and come for them, not just their puppets.”
Live by the sword, die by the sword.
Those who pick fights with me should understand that I will find out who is really pulling the strings and come for them, not just their puppets …
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 21, 2026 [3]
Musk has been a major donor to GOP candidates ahead of the election, according to previous FOX Business reporting. That political involvement comes alongside his prominent business interests and his past work with the Trump administration.
The billionaire worked with the administration through the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE. Musk helped launch the government initiative at the beginning of Trump’s presidency last year.
Musk’s various ventures also have business dealings with the federal government. Those dealings could face congressional scrutiny if Democrats capture control of Congress, adding another possible avenue for investigations into the entrepreneur and his companies.
The debate places Musk’s political activity, government work and business interests at the center of a potential congressional fight. Democrats are reportedly considering investigations, while both Trump and Musk are publicly signaling that such efforts would meet resistance.
After defending Musk, Trump shifted the discussion toward America’s technological leadership. He referenced superintelligence and described the amount of development taking place in the United States as unprecedented.
“We’re leading in everything right now,” Trump said. His comments connected his praise for Musk with a broader argument that the United States currently holds a leading position in technological development.
Trump’s message was direct throughout the exchange. He praised Musk as brilliant, called him a good man and argued that Americans have a responsibility to protect the relatively small number of people he considers geniuses.
Musk, meanwhile, has already delivered his own warning to Democrats considering investigations. With control of Congress potentially determining whether those probes move forward, both men are making their positions unmistakably clear before the midterm elections.