Donald Trump calls surging Ted Cruz 'a maniac' with wrong temperament, judgment to be president


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:
Subscribe to 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.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctions
The Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
Cracks appear in MAGA's pro-Israel front
IN THE SPOTLIGHT As the world watches a humanitarian crisis unfold across Gaza, some of Israel's most staunchly conservative defenders have begun speaking out against its actions in the occupied territories
-
5 cultural trails to traverse by car
The Week Recommends Leave the hiking shoes at home
-
Trump revives K-12 Presidential Fitness Test
Speed Read The Obama administration phased the test out in 2012, replacing it with a program focused on overall health rather than standardized benchmarks
-
El Salvador scraps term limits, boosting Nayib Bukele
Speed Read New constitutional changes will allow presidents to seek reelection an indefinite number of times
-
Trump assigns tariffs, delays all except on Canada
Speed Read A 35% tariff on many Canadian goods has gone into effect
-
Harris rules out run for California governor
Speed Read The 2024 Democratic presidential nominee ended months of speculation about her plans for the contest
-
Trump sets new tariff rates as deadline nears
Speed Read New tariff rates for South Korea, Brazil and India announced
-
Ghislaine Maxwell: angling for a Trump pardon
Talking Point Convicted sex trafficker's testimony could shed new light on president's links to Jeffrey Epstein
-
Senate confirms Trump loyalist Bove to top court
Speed Read The president's former criminal defense lawyer was narrowly approved to earn a lifetime seat
-
Ghislaine Maxwell offers testimony for immunity
Speed Read The convicted sex trafficker offered to testify to Congress about her relationship with late boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein