The United States already has a president with "no class," Sen. Marco Rubio said Wednesday, and he doesn't believe Donald Trump's unorthodox candidacy shows the gravity that the office deserves.
"I don't believe his behavior last few weeks is dignified or worthy of the office he seeks," the Florida Republican said on
Fox News' "Fox & Friends" program about his fellow candidate for the 2016 GOP nomination.
"The president of the United States is not just the top government official. It's the leader of our people, our nation. To conduct presidency, it has to be done in a dignified way."
Story continues below video.
Already, President Barack Obama shows no class, said Rubio.
"[He's] a president that does selfie stick video, invites YouTube stars, people that eat cereal out of a bathtub, to the White House," said Rubio. "He goes on comedy shows to talk about Iran. The list goes on. It's important to have a presidency that restores dignity and class to the White House."
But he also doesn't believe the language Trump has been using, most recently in retaliatory statements against South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and Saturday against Sen. John McCain, are "worthy" of the White House.
Rubio acknowledged that he could be in Trump's crosshairs soon, as he has before, and said that some of the arguments the real estate mogul is making are "legitimate," such as on immigration.
"It's a big problem for the country," he said. "you have people committing crimes. They're deported, allow them back in, and cities refuse to report them. Legitimate issue. We have a porous border, not meaning just Mexico but 40 percent illegally are overstaying visas. We're accept missing people on basis of who they know. They have a relative living here."
Rubio, though, doesn't think Trump will sustain his poll lead as the 2016 primaries near.
"This election will be about the important things," Rubio said. "People come back from vacation, kids go back to school. Voters focus on issues."
However, he deflected a question about whether Trump is good or bad for the Republican race.
"It's a free country," Rubio said. "Anyone can run for president. Someone who is famous, has resources, access to these and others, has the right to run."
Rubio's comments on Trump came after another GOP candidate, former Hewlett-Packard CEO
Carly Fiorina, appeared on the same show and also criticized the billionaire.
"I think Donald Trump taps in to this frustration I feel, that Ben Carson feels," said Fiorina. "Those of us outsiders know that voters are sick of sanitized sound bites, formulated speeches, a lot of talk and no action."
But instead of attacking Republicans, she said, "I guess I would say to Donald Trump, in the end, it is Hillary Clinton we have to beat. Maybe it'd be nice for him to take a shot at her occasionally, as I have been doing for months."
Story continues below video.
Trump, also appearing later on the Fox program, did not slam either Rubio or Fiorina for their words.
"I think they're both nice people," he said. "I really don't know them. They're fighting hard, trying hard. We'll see how they do. Honestly, I think they're nice people. Carly is right. We have to attack Hillary. She was the worst secretary of state in the history of the country. She's got plenty to lose by. I'll beat Hillary if chosen. I have thousands of Hispanics employed. They love me. Marco Rubio is doing his thing."
Also on Wednesday's show, Rubio continued to slam Obama for making jokes about the Iran nuclear deal during his appearance on Tuesday night's
"Daily Show," including a back and forth with show host Jon Stewart about using Dick Cheney for the negotiations.
"It shows little class," said Rubio. "What does Dick Cheney have to do with anything? This is a serious issue. Iran will become a nuclear weapons power legally in 10 to 15 years who obtains nuclear capability. We are now turning over $100 billion of relief and sanctions. Where is that money going to be used? Not to build hospitals, but to give more money to build missiles. There's nothing funny to that."
The bottom line, said Rubio, was that Iran came to the negotiating table because "its economy was on the verge of collapse" after being crippled by sanctions.
"Sanctions that today exist in Congress were sanctions this president was against," said Rubio. "He didn't want the additional sanctions. It's very simple. He wanted this deal worse than Iran did."