Trump and Bush clash in Las Vegas over Muslim ban

Donald Trump has come under sustained attack from other Republican presidential candidates during the USA presidential debate as they united against his plan to bar Muslims from entering the United States. “You’re not going to be able to insult your way to the presidency”, Bush told Trump at one point. “Or dealing with the Islamic terrorism that exists”, Bush said, referencing Trump’s complaints about CNN’s questions for other candidates.

“You’re trying to build up your energy, Jeb”, said Trump, who infamously labeled Bush “low-energy” over the summer.

“We’re not talking about religion”, he said. Trump then cut in to say he never said that. And when Trump became agitated, Bush said, “a little of your own medicine, Donald”.

The two sparred again when Mr Trump challenged the former two-term governor on his remarks that Mexican immigrants crossed the border as an act of love, while Mr Bush criticised his stance on Isis. Are you going to apologize, Jeb?

Trump, who also backed closing parts of the Internet used by Islamic State militants, has dominated the last few weeks of the campaign with his call for a total ban on Muslims entering the United States, following a married couple’s December 2 massacre of 14 people in San Bernardino, California, inspired by Islamic State.

“We’re not taking care of them”. Rubio all but ignored his Florida rival and instead aimed his most pointed barbs at Texas Sen.

“ISIS is gaining strength because the perception Is that they’re winning, and President Obama fuels that perception”, Cruz said.

First, the duo tangled over the federal government’s bulk collection of phone data via a program that began after the 9/11 attacks and was recently ended by Congress. Cruz defended his vote against the program, saying it gave law enforcement too much unchecked power.

Trump was his classic self last night, but finally had somebody take it to him in the person of Jeb Bush, who had several well-rehearsed put-down lines that had the Donald mumbling to himself and making absurd faces. Cruz, 44, has moved past him in some Iowa surveys. GOP voters got two main takeaways: a closer spotlight on Rubio and Cruz, and a reminder – in the discussion of regime change – of a widening philosophical dispute within the party. “It was a great debate, I really enjoyed it”, said Donald Trump. With the Democrats increasingly coalescing behind the candidacy of Hillary Clinton, some Republican leaders worry that Trump’s controversial rhetoric will make him all but unelectable if he wins the nomination. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who are catching up to Trump in the polls.

When New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie promised to set up a no-fly zone in Syria and “shoot down the planes of Russian pilots if, in fact, they were stupid enough to think that this president was the same feckless weakling that the president we have in the Oval Office is right now”, Kentucky Sen.

Trump reminded Bush of their opposite trajectories in this race and dismissed the former Florida governor as a “failed” candidate. Lindsey Graham, a US senator from SC with hawkish views on national security, was especially withering.