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Donald Trump insisted Friday he had nothing to do with the recent National Enquirer story in which Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is accused of cheating on his wife multiple times.
Still, Trump took the moment to point out the tabloid publication has been right in the past with similar stories.
“I have no idea whether or not the cover story about Ted Cruz in this week’s issue of the National Enquirer is true or not, but I had absolutely nothing to do with it, did not know about it, and have not, as yet, read it,” Trump said in a statement. “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.”
The response comes hours after Cruz fired at Trump, saying he was behind the story published on Wednesday.
“I want to be crystal clear: these attacks are garbage,” Cruz said in a statement posted to social media on Friday. “For Donald J. Trump to enlist his friends at the National Enquirer and his political henchmen to do his bidding shows you that there is no low Donald won’t go.”
Cruz is irate about the story saying the presidential hopeful is “hiding five different mistresses.”
One of the women who has been possibly linked to story is Katrina Pierson, a former public supporter of Cruz who now serves as the national spokeswoman for the Trump campaign.
Pierson has denied the story. “Of course the National Enquirer story is 100% FALSE!!! I only speak to myself, however,” Pierson wrote on Twitter.
The timing of the National Enquirer piece has been pointed out by numerous pundits and critics, as it dropped right after Trump, the GOP presidential front-runner, made an ominous threat to Cruz concerning his wife, Heidi.
The new feud started Tuesday after the billionaire businessman said he would “spill the beans” about Cruz’s wife after he accused Cruz of having involvement with an attack that featured a semi-nude photo of Trump’s wife, Melania, a former model.
Cruz said he had nothing to do with the ad and called Trump a “coward” for threatening Heidi.
On Friday, Cruz again defended his wife while taking more swings at Trump.
“These smears are completely false, they’re offensive to Heidi and me, they’re offensive to our daughters, and they’re offensive to everyone Donald continues to personally attack,” Cruz said in the statement. “Donald Trump’s consistently disgraceful behavior is beneath the office we are seeking and we are not going to follow.”
The National Enquirer’s parent company, AMI, also released a statement.
“No one influences the reporting that the National Enquirer does other than our own reporters and editors,” according to the statement. “We stand by the integrity of our coverage and remain committed to our aggressive reporting on such an important topic. The National Enquirer, more than any other publication, has been unflinching in its reporting on the 2016 presidential candidates.”
Trump’s statement in full is below:
“I have no idea whether or not the cover story about Ted Cruz in this week’s issue of the National Enquirer is true or not, but I had absolutely nothing to do with it, did not know about it, and have not, as yet, read it. Likewise, 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. 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. I look forward to spending the week in Wisconsin, winning the Republican nomination and ultimately the Presidency in order to Make America Great Again.”
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