CLEVELAND – GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump delivered a stinging putdown to former rival Ted Cruz on Friday, saying he didn’t want the endorsement of the Texas senator even if he were to offer it.
Cruz was booed off the convention stage on Wednesday when he declined to endorse Trump in his speech and said instead folks should “vote their conscience.”
Trump, appeared with his vice presidential running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, the morning after the convention ended, bringing up Cruz as he was thanking staffers and volunteers.
“You know, somebody got booed the hell out of a place by thousands and thousands of people,” Trump said.
“Honestly, he may have ruined his political career. I feel so badly. I feel so badly.
“And, you know, he’ll come and endorse over the next little while, he’ll come and endorse, because he has no choice. But I don’t want his endorsement. …
“Just — Ted, stay home, relax, enjoy yourself.
Trump even reopened a can of worms from the primary — that Cruz’s father, Rafael was somehow associated with Lee Harvey Oswald, who killed President John F. Kennedy. Cruz used that Trump slam as a reason for not honoring a pledge to support the Republican primary winner.