Watch CBS News

Trump Fires Back At Cruz, Denies Any Link To Allegations Of Marital Infidelity

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — Donald Trump is denying allegations made by Republican presidential rival Ted Cruz that he is spreading rumors about the Texas senator's personal life.

Trump issued a statement Friday on Facebook that he knows nothing about the allegations on social media and in a supermarket tabloid that Cruz has cheated on his wife, Heidi.

"I have nothing to do with the National Enquirer and unlike Lyin' Ted Cruz I do not surround myself with political hacks and henchman and then pretend total innocence," the statement read. "Ted Cruz's problem with the National Enquirer is his and his alone, and while they were right about O.J. Simpson, John Edwards, and many others, I certainly hope they are not right about Lyin' Ted Cruz."

Cruz forcefully denied the rumors on Friday, denouncing them as "garbage" and angrily accused Trump and "his henchmen" of trafficking in "slime" and "sleaze."

A post on Cruz's Twitter page read: "Donald Trump's consistently disgraceful behavior is beneath the office we are seeking and we are not going to follow".

The Texas senator told reporters in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on Friday that the Republican presidential campaign has taken a "darker turn." Cruz is accusing Trump and "his henchmen" of spreading false rumors that Cruz has cheated on his wife, Heidi.

It's an escalation of the back-and-forth between the two.

Trump hasn't held a public event since Monday, and Cruz says the billionaire businessman is "hiding in Trump Tower" and campaigning via Twitter instead of meeting with voters.

In his Facebook statement, Trump added, "I look forward to spending the week in Wisconsin, winning the Republican nomination and ultimately the Presidency in order to Make America Great Again."

Asked if he plans to vote for Trump should he win the GOP nomination, Cruz says, "I don't make a habit of supporting people who attack my wife and my family."

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.