President Trump says Ted Cruz is not “Lyin’ Ted” anymore, but “Beautiful Ted.” And he also proclaimed himself a “nationalist” at a wild Texas rally.
Trump stumped for his former foe for the first time tonight in Houston after an acrimonious rivalry in 2016 that ended only after the businessman won the Oval Office.
“It became very nasty, and then it was over. And when it was over, we’ve gotten along great,” he said. “No, I like Ted.”
Donald Trump and Ted Cruz hug in Texas.
Trump at the rally also declared himself a “nationalist” as he railed against Democrats and “globalists” who put the well being of the world over the country.
Trump warned supporters that Democrats will seek to restore influence to “corrupt, power-hungry globalists.”
“You know what a globalist is? A globalist is a person that wants the globe to do well, frankly, not caring about our country so much,” Trump said. “And you know what, we can’t have that.”
The crowd began booing as Trump moved on to his preferred descriptor.
“You know, they have a word. It sort of became old-fashioned. It’s called a nationalist,” he continued. “And I say really, we’re not supposed to use that word. You know what I am? I am a nationalist. Use that word.”
The crowd broke out into chants of “USA” in response.
Trump also proposed a “new” ten perfect tax cut, but that came as news to House and Senate lawmakers, who’ve already returned to their home states to campaign for the elections and have no plans to consider new legislation before then.
White House officials spent the day trying to decode what Trump meant because no one knew the substance of any such tax cut, or had seen any policy proposal related to it.
Aides were left wondering what Trump had read in newspaper clippings, or seen on Twitter, to inspire this grand promise from his rally podium.
Cruz meanwhile said in an interview that aired over the weekend that Trump is “the president” and has his full support in the U.S. Senate, where he’s seeking reelection.
Trump has never apologized publicly for the remarks he made about Cruz in the heat of battle, including claims that he’s “dishonest” and his father was involved in JFK’s assassination.
Trump’s claim that Cruz is a liar has followed him to his current race. In a debate last week the nasty nickname that Trump slapped him with resurfaced on the lips of Cruz’s opponent.
Supporters of Cruz’s and the president’s said outside the rally site on Monday that the assault hasn’t done lasting damage, though, and the Republican senator has their votes in the current race.
The president is unapologetic for the mean moniker and his claim in 2016 that Cruz’s father was a Lee Harvey Oswald associate.
“I don’t regret anything, honestly. It all worked out very nicely.”