Trump’s Texas love-in: US president campaigns with ‘beautiful’ former rival Ted Cruz
- Trump spoke before a massive crowd in Houston on behalf of his one-time rival
- During 2016 campaign, Trump would frequently deride former foe as ‘Lyin’ Ted’
US President Donald Trump set aside his old feud with Senator Ted Cruz on Monday and headlined a packed rally to help the fellow Republican in his tight race in Texas with rising Democratic star Beto O’Rourke just two weeks before the November 6 elections.
During the 2016 campaign when both were competing for the Republican presidential nomination, the race grew bitter at times, with Trump dubbing Cruz “Lyin’ Ted” and Cruz calling Trump a “snivelling coward”.
Monday’s rally in Houston was the first time Trump threw all his muscle into helping Cruz fend off O’Rourke, even though Cruz has opened a lead in opinion polls on O’Rourke.
“God bless Texas, and God bless President Donald Trump,” Cruz said in opening remarks at a jammed Toyota Centre arena.
Having given Cruz a new nickname: “Beautiful Ted”, Trump reviewed their 2016 battle when he took the podium after the two men embraced.
“You know we had our little difficulties,” he said.