Donald Trump and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush sparred Tuesday night in the Las Vegas Republican debates. An abrasive Trump refused to back down on a policy position when Bush unexpectedly attacked the businessman for his rhetoric.
The fight started with a question from a college student about retaliation for terror attacks. Trump, the second-ranked candidate according to the Washington Examiner‘s presidential power rankings, told viewers he would punish the family members of terrorists who attack the U.S.
Bush immediately cut in, asking how killing the families of Islamic State members would help Americans.
“This is another example of the lack of seriousness. This is troubling because we’re at war, they’ve decalred war on us and we need to have a serious strategy to destoroy ISIS, but the idea that that is a solution to this, it’s just crazy, it makes no sense to suggest this,” said Bush, ranked fifth. He also criticized Trump for getting his foreign policy experience from TV shows.
Trump fired back in his relentless style. “The problem is we need toughness, I think Jeb is a very nice person, we need intelligence and we need toughness.”
Bush jumped in, claiming Trump said on September 30 that the Islamic State was not a threat.
“You’re not talking, you’re interrupting. Am I allowed to finish? Excuse me,” Trump continued. “So again we need a toughness, we need strength, we’re not respected as a nation anymore and if we don’t get it back fast, we’re just going to get weaker and weaker. … When Jeb comes out and he talks about the border, and I saw it and I was witness to it, they come across as an act of love, he’s saying the same thing right now about radical Islam, it just won’t work, we need strength.”
Bush responded calmly, “Donald, you’re not going to be able to insult your way to the presidency, it’s just not going to happen, and I do have the strength. Leadership is not about attacking people and discouraging people, leadership is about creating a serious strategy to deal with the tthreat of our time.”
The crowd cheered Bush’s answer, but Trump had the final word: “With Jeb’s attitude, we will never be great again.”
