Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump took to Twitter Tuesday night to threaten to “spill the beans” on the wife of his rival, Ted Cruz. Trump criticized Cruz as “Lyin’ Ted” and criticized the Texas senator for supposedly using a magazine photo shoot of Trump’s wife in an ad against the New York businessman.
Lyin’ Ted Cruz just used a picture of Melania from a G.Q. shoot in his ad. Be careful, Lyin’ Ted, or I will spill the beans on your wife!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 23, 2016
The offending ad, which is one of several running on Facebook for users in Utah, is not paid for by Cruz’s campaign or even a supportive super PAC, but rather by an explicitly anti-Trump super PAC called Make America Awesome. The ad shows a nude photograph of Melania Trump from a 2000 shoot the former model did for GQ magazine. “Meet Melania Trump. Your next first lady,” the text on the ad reads. “Or, you could support Ted Cruz on Tuesday.”
In an email to Trump campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks, THE WEEKLY STANDARD asked what specific “beans” he may spill about Cruz’s wife Heidi. TWS also asked if Trump was aware the ad was not from Cruz or any group affiliated with him. The Trump campaign has yet to respond.
A few minutes before, Trump had apparently published and subsequently deleted a similarly worded tweet, according to multiple reporters who captured Trump’s tweet via screenshot.
Update: Cruz has responded on Twitter:
Pic of your wife not from us. Donald, if you try to attack Heidi, you’re more of a coward than I thought. #classless https://t.co/0QpKSnjgnE
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) March 23, 2016
Update II: Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks responded via email: “Mr. Trump’s tweets speak for themselves.”
