May 4, 2016: Suggesting that Cruz’s ‘father was with Lee Harvey Oswald’
Trump clinched the Republican nomination in early May, but not before linking Cruz’s father to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on Fox and Friends. After being widely panned for his Pants on Fire claim, Trump tried to downplay the context of his remarks.
"All I was doing was referring to a picture that was reported and in a magazine," Trump told ABC the morning after he levied the charge and won the primary.
Actually, Trump launched the attack without referring to the photo, which was later mentioned by Fox and Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade. Trump did say "it was reported" before interrupting himself. He then interrupted Kilmeade when the host attempted to provide a source for the claim.
"His father was with Lee Harvey Oswald prior to Oswald being, you know, shot. I mean the whole thing is ridiculous. What is this, right, prior to his being shot? And nobody even brings it up. I mean they don’t even talk about that — that was reported — and nobody ever talks about it," Trump said (around the 5:10 mark).
"Right, there’s a picture out there that reportedly shows Rafael Cruz standing with Lee Harvey Oswald," Kilmeade said. "I don’t know if that’s been verified —"
"I mean what was he doing with Lee Harvey Oswald shortly before the death, before the shooting? It’s horrible," Trump said before Kilmeade pivoted to a question about polling.