At GOP debate, Ted Cruz and Donald Trump spar over Trump 'birther theories'

Donald Trump and Ted Cruz spar of &#039;birther theories&#039;

(Image credit: Fox Business/YouTube)

last updated 15 January 2016

At Thursday's Republican presidential debate, Fox Business host Neil Cavuto asked Sen. Ted Cruz about his eligibility to run for president as a "natural born citizen," given that he was born in Canada to a U.S. mother and Cuban father. Cruz said that under "long-standing U.S. law, the child of a U.S. citizen born abroad is a natural-born citizen." Some of the more extreme "birther theories" Trump is relying on would even disqualify Trump, Cruz said, since his mother was born in Scotland.

Trump pointed out that several constitutional scholars disagree with Cruz, naming Harvard Law Prof. Lawrence Tribe. Then Trump said that he doesn't care if Cruz qualifies, since Cruz "probably has a 4-5 percent chance" of winning the nomination. "I'm not bringing a suit — I promise — but the Democrats are bringing a lawsuit," Trump said. You can watch the entertaining back-and-forth below, up to Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) saying he hated "to interrupt this episode of Court TV," getting a laugh from the audience. 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.