Donald Trump
dropped out of Monday's Fox News Channel debate because he is afraid to go one-on-one, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said Wednesday, but he vowed to take the debate to Trump at next week's American Israel Public Affairs Committee meeting in Washington, D.C.
Trump said he would not be able to attend the Fox News debate because he wanted to address AIPAC on Monday night. Cruz, appearing Wednesday on Fox News Channel's
"The Kelly File," called that excuse "silliness," saying the AIPAC conference extends over several days and that the group would have allowed him to speak another day.
After the debate was canceled, Cruz scheduled his own speech to AIPAC on the same day.
"I'm going to be in D.C. for AIPAC as well, and I'm happy to debate him there," Cruz said. "We can debate foreign policy if he wants, but the problem is, he doesn't have even a basic modicum of knowledge" on foreign policy.
"He was saying just a week ago that he was eager to get one on one with me," Cruz said. "Well, this debate, the field is narrowed even more and he could have had a direct debate with me, and yet Donald apparently is ducking, he's afraid of being challenged."
Had the debate gone on as scheduled, it wouldn't have been one-on-one. Ohio Gov. John Kasich is still in the race, though he has been mathematically eliminated from winning the nomination on the first convention ballot.
The race has shifted to a terrain that's not favorable to Trump, Cruz said. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's decision to suspend his campaign Tuesday night was a "bad blow" to Trump, Cruz said, "because it means the opposition to Trump continues to unify, and Republicans continue to unify behind our campaign."
Monday's scheduled debate is the second time Trump has skipped a Fox News debate after clashing with Kelly, who was one of the moderators, at the first debate in August. Trump did participate in the third Fox News debate.
"For whatever reason, it seems that Donald Trump finds you a very, very terrifying person," Cruz told Kelly.
Cruz was asked about Trump's statement Wednesday that a riot could ensue at the GOP convention if he ends up with the most delegates, but is denied the nomination.
"Listen, no one should be surprised that Donald Trump is trying to stir up riots," Cruz said.
"I wish we had a presidential candidate bringing us together instead of encouraging such things."
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.