Washington (CNN) The war of words between businessman Donald Trump and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry reached the jungle gym on Wednesday, when Perry challenged Trump to a pull-up contest.

"Let's get a pull-up bar out there and let's see who can do the most pull-ups," said Perry, once an Air Force captain, when asked by a reporter if he had any message for Trump.

Perry, who governed Texas with a trademark swagger and bravado for 14 years, made the remark after a speech dedicated to Wall Street reform at the Yale Club in New York on Wednesday.

Perry has emerged as one of the fiercest critics of Trump , who currently leads polling in the Republican field, even calling for the real estate mogul to drop out of the race.

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