Bloomberg then said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) also says some of the “stupidest” things about climate change despite his intellect. He noted that Cruz’s intelligence has been praised by Alan Dershowitz, a prominent US attorney and the candidate’s former Harvard professor.

“You’ve got a guy like Ted Cruz — who I think Dershowitz said was the smartest law student he ever had — and he says some of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard,” Bloomberg said. “The only explanation — the only explanation — is he doesn’t believe it; he’s just saying it.”

He added: “Ted Cruz is a smart guy and you can’t say what he says in an intelligent way.”

Cruz, who has surged in recent primary polls, has not shied away from criticizing mainstream climate science.