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Timeline: The Rise and Fall of the Cruz/Trump Bromance

It’s been an emotional rollercoaster for the two leading candidates for the Republican presidential nomination. Less than a year ago, Ted Cruz was praising Donald Trump as "terrific."

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GOP presidential contenders Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz at the CNN debate in Las Vegas, Nevada on Dec. 15, 2015.
Credit: Michael Stravato

Nine months ago, Ted Cruz called Donald Trump “terrific.” Two weeks ago, he called the real estate mogul “a sniveling coward.”

It’s been an emotional rollercoaster for the two leading candidates for the Republican presidential nomination, with Cruz, a U.S. Senator from Texas, initially distinguishing himself last summer as the only candidate to fully embrace Trump’s unexpected bid for the White House. 

As other contenders fell by the wayside, the pair’s friendship first fractured and then died, only to be quickly replaced with an intense hostility.

Below, we trace the rise and fall of the Cruz-Trump bromance.

 

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Jordan Rudner’s staff photo
Madlin Mekelburg’s staff photo
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Politics 2016 elections Ted Cruz