Story highlights Cruz has thus far in the race declined to go after Trump

Cruz has been rising in the polls and getting closer to the GOP front-runner

Washington (CNN) Ted Cruz would welcome Donald Trump into his administration, where he would use the billionaire businessman's prowess, the Texas senator said in a new interview.

The Texas Republican was interviewed by Breitbart News in South Carolina for an interview published Tuesday, in which he told the conservative media outlet he'd tap the real estate mogul to negotiate trade deals.

"There is no doubt that Donald Trump would be a phenomenal negotiator with China, and, if you look at TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership), I have come out against TPP, it is an incredibly long and complicated mess of a bill," Cruz said. "There is no doubt that Donald Trump would be a tremendously effective negotiator to help open up foreign markets."

Trump has repeatedly spoken on the stump about his negotiating expertise and how he'd be tough on China if he were president.

Cruz has thus far in the race declined to go after Trump, speaking highly of him and even appearing at a rally with him against the Iran nuclear deal. Trump has largely responded in kind, saying eventually Cruz will go on the attack and then Trump will retaliate.

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