Ted Cruz defends Donald Trump's racist comments

One day after NBC severed ties with 2016 GOP candidate Donald Trump over "derogatory statements" he made about Mexican immigrants, fellow Republican candidate Sen. Ted Cruz has sided with Trump.

"When it comes to Donald Trump, I like Donald Trump. I think he's terrific. I think he's brash. I think he speaks the truth," Cruz said in a Tuesday morning interview on Fox & Friends. Cruz added that NBC is "engaging in political correctness that is silly and that is wrong."

NBC announced Monday it would no longer air the Miss USA and Miss Universe beauty pageants, which Trump owns, and indicated Trump would be bumped from his role as host of The Apprentice.

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When asked if Mexican immigrants are "mostly" rapists and drug dealers, as Trump suggested in his speech, Cruz replied: "They're not mostly that. But Donald Trump — he has a way of speaking that gets attention. And I credit him for focusing on an issue that needs to be focused on."

"I don't think you should apologize for speaking out against the problem that is illegal immigration," Cruz said. "Donald Trump is exactly right to highlight the need" to crack down on illegal immigration, he added.

Trump expressed gratitude for having Cruz in his corner, sending a "thank you" tweet on Tuesday morning. Emily Goldberg