Trump Calls Musk '80% Genius, 20% Problems' While Predicting His Return To Republican Party

President Donald Trump said former ally Elon Musk has no choice but to return to the Republican Party after their highly public rift earlier this year.

"I don't think he has a choice," Trump said on the Scott Jennings Show in an interview recorded on Tuesday, casting Musk's political options as the GOP on one side and "radical left lunatics" on the other.

Still, Trump largely complimented his onetime benefactor and downplayed their disagreements - while also maintaining he believed the billionaire had problems to work through.

"He's a good man. He got off the reservation incorrectly, and that's okay, because, you know, it's just one of those things," Trump said of Tesla Inc. CEO.

Trump said Musk was "80% super genius, and then 20% he's got some problems. And when he works out the 20% he'll be great, but he's got some difficulty."

Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump and Musk's friendship broke in a highly public and acrimonious manner earlier this year, with the two trading insults on social media. While Musk spearheaded a government cost-cutting initiative in Trump's administration, he fell out with the president whose reelection he helped bankroll over legislation that ended tax credits for electric vehicles that benefitted Tesla.

Musk has said his opposition was because the bill would add to the deficit, but he also vowed to create a third party to challenge both Republicans and Democrats.

The US president, in turn, threatened to terminate Musk's government contracts and subsidies. Both men subsequently moved to make amends.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)