(CNN) The scene: March 2016. Donald Trump and Ted Cruz are locked in a vicious battle in advance of Wisconsin's April 5 primary.

Enter the National Enquirer, which ran a cover story alleging that Cruz has engaged in extramarital affairs with a series of women.

Cruz went absolutely ballistic, denying the allegation and insisting the Enquirer story was the result of Trump's close personal relationship with David Pecker, the man who is CEO of the Enquirer's parent company. Cruz called the story "garbage."

"I don't make a habit out of supporting people who attack my wife and attack my family," said Cruz. "And Donald Trump is not going to be the Republican nominee." (Cruz won the Wisconsin primary but Trump did become the Republican nominee.)

At the time, which was right after the Enquirer endorsed Trump's 2016 bid, an American Media spokesperson said in a statement to CNN that "no one influences" the tabloid magazine's reporting "other than our own reporters and editors."

Trump denied he had anything to do with the story via a statement from his campaign that read:

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