Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Friday characterized former President Donald Trump as possessing an "encyclopedic mind," contradicting his past perceptions and defending him against criticism leveled by actor Mark Ruffalo.
Kennedy's remarks came after a text exchange with Ruffalo, whom he accused of having "really bad Trump Derangement Syndrome." According to Kennedy, Ruffalo referred to Trump as "the stupidest man in America" during their dispute.
"Now you can say a lot about Trump, and a lot of Democrats believe he’s stupid," Kennedy said during an appearance on the "Fly Zone USA" podcast. "And I actually, at one point, believed that — 'he’s very superficial. He’s probably never read a book.' Now that I know him, he has like an encyclopedic mind."
Kennedy elaborated on Trump's intellect, claiming the former president "knows everything." He cited Trump's insights into music, theater, sports, Wall Street, and foreign policy as examples of his detailed knowledge.
Ruffalo, known for his progressive activism and criticism of Trump, has previously joined other Hollywood figures in condemning the former president. The phrase "Trump Derangement Syndrome" is often used by supporters of Trump to describe strong opposition to him, though it is not a recognized medical diagnosis.
"When I was in the Democratic Party, I thought he’s a bombastic guy who doesn’t really know anything and doesn’t really care about detail or have a grasp for it," Kennedy admitted. "But he has an extraordinary grasp for detail."