Donovan Slack

USA TODAY

The feud between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz hit epic proportions Tuesday as Republican primary voters headed to the polls in Indiana.

Trump was asked on Fox News to respond to remarks by the Texas senator's father on the campaign trail. Rafael Cruz had said electing “the alternative” to his son “could be the destruction of America.”

“I think it’s a disgrace that he’s allowed to do it, I think it’s a disgrace that he’s allowed to say it,” Trump responded.

Then he insinuated that Cruz’s father may have played some role in the assassination of John F. Kennedy. No, really. He brought up a questionable National Enquirer story claiming Rafael Cruz appeared in a photo with the assassin shortly before the murder. (The Miami Herald took a critical look at the claims)

“I mean what was he doing — what was he doing with Lee Harvey Oswald shortly before the death, before the shooting?” Trump said. “It’s horrible.”

That led Cruz to unload on Trump in a press conference, saying he is “amoral” and a “pathological liar.”

“I’m going to do something I haven’t done for the entire campaign: ...I’m going to tell you what I really think of Donald Trump,” he said. “This man is a pathological liar. He doesn’t know the difference between truth and lies. He lies, practically every word that comes out of his mouth.”

“The man is utterly amoral; morality does not exist for him,” Cruz said

Ted Cruz popularity among Republicans takes a serious nosedive: Gallup

Cruz called Trump's suggestions about his father “nuts” and “kooky” and pointed out that the Enquirer has endorsed Trump.

“Now let’s be clear: This is nuts. This is not a reasonable position. This is just kooky," Cruz said. "And while I’m at it, I guess I should go ahead and admit yes my dad killed JFK, he is secretly Elvis and Jimmy Hoffa is buried in his backyard.”

Trump then issued a statement saying Cruz’s “outburst” shows he is a “desperate candidate trying to save his failing campaign.”

“Over the last week, I have watched Lyin’ Ted become more and more unhinged as he is unable to react under the pressure and stress of losing, in all cases by landslides, the last six primary elections — in fact, coming in last place in all but one of them,” he said. “Today’s ridiculous outburst only proves what I have been saying for a long time, that Ted Cruz does not have the temperament to be President of the United States.”

Trump’s son also jumped in the ring, saying Cruz reminded him of his toddler

"That was an impressive meltdown... Desperate but impressive. Reminded me of my 3 year old coming off a sugar high," Donald Trump Jr. tweeted.

It’s interesting to think that only a few months ago, Cruz had this to say about The Donald:

"The Establishment's only hope: Trump & me in a cage match," he tweeted in December. "Sorry to disappoint — @realDonaldTrump is terrific. #DealWithIt"