Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has taken a 10-point lead in the Iowa caucuses, according to a very well regarded poll released Saturday, and so GOP presidential rival Donald Trump went on the attack on the Sunday talk shows. On CNN's State of the Union — an appearance more notable for his scolding of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia — Trump mocked Cruz's electoral strategy of never publicly criticizing Trump: "He's been so nice to me. I mean I could be saying anything and he'd say, I agree I agree." But it was Trump's comments on Fox News Sunday that drew the most attention.
When host Chris Wallace asked Trump what he thought about Cruz, Trump said, "I don’t think he is qualified to be president." Wallace asked why, and Trump lit in:
I don't think he has the right temperament. I don't think he's got the right judgment. When you look at the way he has dealt with the Senate, where he goes in there like a, you know, frankly, like a little bit of a maniac — you are never going to get things done that way.... You can't walk into the Senate and scream and call people liars, and not be able to cajole and get along with people. He'll never get anything done, and that's the problem with Ted. [Trump on Fox News]
You can watch the comments below:
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Cruz stuck to his version of not publicly firing shots at Trump, offering this Sunday evening rebuttal on Twitter:
The first actual votes of the 2016 election won't be until Feb. 1, in the Iowa caucuses that Trump is trying to prevent Cruz from winning.
-
Pakistan: Trump’s ‘favourite field marshal’ takes chargeIn the Spotlight Asim Munir’s control over all three branches of Pakistan’s military gives him ‘sweeping powers’ – and almost unlimited freedom to use them
-
Codeword: December 6, 2025The daily codeword puzzle from The Week
-
Sudoku hard: December 6, 2025The daily hard sudoku puzzle from The Week
-
Trump tightens restrictions for work visasSpeed Read The length of work permits for asylum seekers and refugees has been shortened from five years to 18 months
-
Supreme Court revives Texas GOP gerrymanderSpeed Read Texas Republicans can use the congressional map they approved in August at President Donald Trump’s behest
-
Boat strike footage rattles some lawmakersSpeed Read ‘Disturbing’ footage of the Sept. 2 attack on an alleged drug-trafficking boat also shows the second strike that killed two survivors who were clinging to the wreckage
-
Trump boosts gas cars in fuel economy rollbackspeed read Watering down fuel efficiency standards is another blow to former President Biden’s effort to boost electric vehicles
-
Hegseth’s Signal chat put troops in peril, probe findsSpeed Read The defense secretary risked the lives of military personnel and violated Pentagon rules, says new report
-
Trump pardons Texas Democratic congressmanspeed read Rep. Henry Cuellar was charged with accepting foreign bribes tied to Azerbaijan and Mexico
-
GOP wins tight House race in red Tennessee districtSpeed Read Republicans maintained their advantage in the House
-
Trump targets ‘garbage’ Somalis ahead of ICE raidsSpeed Read The Department of Homeland Security will launch an immigration operation targeting Somali immigrants in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area
