Cruz Makes Announcement After Meeting With Trump
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, announced on Thursday that he has accepted presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump’s invitation to speak at the Republican National Convention later this month.
“We had a positive and productive meeting this morning with Donald Trump. Donald asked me to speak at the Republican convention and I told him I’d be happy to do so,” Cruz told reporters.
The Texas senator added that there was no discussion of an endorsement during that meeting.
.@tedcruz tells reporters he met with @realdonaldtrump and will be speaking on conservatism at the convention pic.twitter.com/JWRzPl7557
— Betsy Klein (@betsy_klein) July 7, 2016
Asked by a reporter what he would speak about at the convention, Cruz responded, “I’m going to urge Americans to get back to the Constitution to change the path we’re on: eight failed years of the Obama/Clinton economy; eight failed years of a presidency disregarding the Constitution and Bill of Rights; eight failed years of a commander-in-chief not protecting American and keeping us safe from radical Islamic terrorism. It’s time for that to end.”
Cruz spokeswoman Catherine Frazier said of the meeting, “There was no discussion of any endorsement. Mr. Trump asked Sen. Cruz to speak at the Republican convention, and Sen. Cruz said he would be happy to do so. Mr. Trump also asked Sen. Cruz for his counsel on future judicial nominations, and Cruz responded he would continue to do everything he can to help ensure principled constitutionalists on the courts.”
RNC chairman Reince Priebus, who was in attendance when the two met, told Fox News, “I’ll just say they had a good conversation, and it was very polite and cordial and normal. I know they’re working on details.”
As the two became the last viable Republican presidential candidates standing in the spring, the rivalry between them became particularly personal, with Trump referring to Cruz as “Lying Ted” and Cruz describing his foe as a “sniveling coward.”
In March, following Trump re-tweeting an unflattering picture of Cruz’s wife, Heidi, and threatening to “spill the beans” about her, the Texas senator indicated that he was not likely to endorse Trump. “I don’t make a habit of supporting people who attack my wife and my family,” he said.
CNN contributor and former Cruz communications staffer Amanda Carpenter tweeted regarding the Thursday meeting:
Cruz got a speaking slot without having to endorse? Sounds like he got the better end of that deal.
— Amanda Carpenter (@amandacarpenter) July 7, 2016
Trump also met with some 200 Republican members of Congress on Thursday. House Speaker Paul Ryan tweeted a statement following the meeting, which reads, in part, “It’s clear that our party is committed to defeating Hillary Clinton and Democrats this fall. We had a great meeting, and I appreciate Donald Trump taking the time to speak with House Republicans…”
Full statement on House Republican conference meeting with @realDonaldTrump: pic.twitter.com/2QtNGTMGnf
— Paul Ryan (@PRyan) July 7, 2016
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