Donald Trump calls Ted Cruz 'one hell of a competitor' with 'an amazing future'
"It's been some unbelievable day," Donald Trump said to supporters in New York after he won the Indiana Republican primary, forcing rival Ted Cruz out of the race. He thanked legendary Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight, professed his love for the Hoosier State ("I said, maybe I'll just never leave"), and criticized the onslaught of negative ads he saw while campaigning in Indiana. Most of the ads were directed at him, and "I said, how can anyone endure this?" Trump asked. "The people are so smart. They don't buy it. They get it."
Trump turned to the general election, criticizing Hillary Clinton on trade policy and for threatening to shut down coal mines, saying, "we're going to get those miners back to work." He also vowed to prevent U.S. companies from moving jobs overseas, saying, "we will not let them leave," and if they do, "there will be consequences, and there will be very, very serious consequences." Trump said America needs to rebuild its infrastructure and its military, calling the military buildup "the cheapest thing we can do," and said that under a Trump foreign policy, other countries are "going to end up liking us better than they do now."
Finally, Trump turned to Cruz, saying he's not sure if his erstwhile rival likes him, "but he is one hell of a competitor. He is a tough, smart guy. And he has got an amazing future." He wasn't so charitable to the last man standing in the race, John Kasich. Trump began by thanking RNC chairman Reince Preibus, saying it is hard to manage "17 egos," then added, "and now I guess he's down to one — I don't know, is there a second?" In case Kasich didn't get the hint, Trump said, "What Ted did is actually a very brave thing to do," paving the way for party unity. Peter Weber
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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
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