White House hopeful Donald Trump Donald John TrumpHR McMaster says president's policy to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is 'unwise' Cast of 'Parks and Rec' reunite for virtual town hall to address Wisconsin voters Biden says Trump should step down over coronavirus response MORE on Wednesday said the Geneva Conventions are the reason U.S. soldiers are "afraid to fight."

“The problem is we have the Geneva Conventions, all sorts of rules and regulations, so the soldiers are afraid to fight,” Trump said at a campaign event in Appleton, Wis., less than a week before the state's primary.

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Trump has repeatedly called for the use of enhanced interrogation techniques and last week, in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Brussels, said he would authorize any means necessary for interrogating terror suspects, including waterboarding.

“We can’t waterboard, but [the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria] can chop off heads,” the celebrity businessman said on Wednesday.

Trump is in a tight race against Ted Cruz Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzLoeffler calls for hearing in wake of Netflix's 'Cuties' Health care in the crosshairs with new Trump Supreme Court list 'Parks and Rec' cast members hosting special reunion to raise money for Wisconsin Democrats MORE in the Badger State. Cruz leads the GOP front-runner by 3 points, according to RealClearPolitics poll average. A Marquette Law School poll released Wednesday found Cruz with a 10-point lead.

The Texas senator also got a significant endorsement on Tuesday from Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who called Cruz "a principled constitutional conservative who can win."