Ted Cruz on Donald Trump: I'm not a 'servile puppy dog'

CLEVELAND – Texas Republican Ted Cruz, under fire for a convention speech that stopped short of endorsing GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, faced off Thursday with angry state delegates who questioned his loyalty to the party.

The first-term U.S. senator, contemplating another White House bid in 2020, acknowledged that he "abrogated" his promise to support the GOP nominee, saying he came to the decision after Trump personally attacked his wife's appearance during the primary campaign and suggested his father was linked to the JFK assassination.

READ MORE: Cruz RNC speech foreshadows 2020 campaign

"The day that was abdicated was the day this became personal," Cruz said. "I'm not going to get into criticizing or attacking Donald Trump, but I'll give you this response: I am not in the habit of supporting people who attack my wife and attack my father.

"And that pledge was not a blanket commitment that if you go and slander and attack Heidi, I'm going to nonetheless come like a servile puppy dog and say thank you very much for maligning my wife and my father," he added.

READ MORE: Heidi Cruz gets escorted off the RNC floor after husband's speech

He said he notified Trump several days ago that he would not formally endorse his candidacy, though he would encourage supporters to vote "their conscience."



Ted Cruz set social media ablaze when he failed to endorse Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention #RNCinCLE Meanwhile---during the Ted Cruz speech

Ted Cruz set social media ablaze when he failed to endorse Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention #RNCinCLE Meanwhile---during the Ted Cruz speech Photo: Twitter Screen Shots Photo: Twitter Screen Shots Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close Ted Cruz on Donald Trump: I'm not a 'servile puppy dog' 1 / 20 Back to Gallery

Challenged by some disappointed delegates who argued that the nation's future should come before his personal feelings, Cruz responded: "This is not politics. I will tell the truth. This is not a game... Right and wrong matter."

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The exchange took place during a morning breakfast meeting of the Lone Star State's delegation, normally a sleepy affair of coffee, pledges of allegiance, and political speeches.

Cruz, who faces reelection in 2018 for his senate seat, took the unusual step of fielding questions from a room that seemed evenly divided between die-hard conservative supporters and those who said he had missed a chance to promote the GOP ticket of Trump and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.

READ MORE: Ted Cruz sparks an uproar at RNC and social media

"I did not say a single negative thing about Donald Trump," Cruz explained, by way of minimizing the hard feelings. "I don't intend to say negative things about Donald Trump."

Cruz acknowledged that he sought to rally "conservatives back home," and questioned why his appeals to "conscience" and principles should offend Trump and his supporters. "I've got to say that's a little bit troubling, what they're saying," he said.

READ MORE: What did the Texas delegation think about the Cruz speech

The hotel ballroom of about 150 delegates seemed divided over his appeals to conservative principle, with one holding up a mocking sign that read "Clinton-Cruz 2020." There were also chants of "Trump! Trump! Trump!"

Others applauded his appeal to principle in the face of growing pressure to unify the party behind Trump. "It would have been the easiest thing in the world to turn tail and run," Cruz said. "That ain't gonna happen."

READ MORE: Cruz gets booed off stage after not endorsing Trump