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Ted Cruz Agrees to Speak at Republican Convention

Donald Trump made offer at Thursday meeting

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has accepted Donald Trump's offer to speak at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. (Al Drago/CQ Roll Call)
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has accepted Donald Trump's offer to speak at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. (Al Drago/CQ Roll Call)

Sen. Ted Cruz said Thursday he’s accepted an offer from presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump to speak at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this month.  

“We had a positive and productive meeting this morning with Donald Trump. Donald asked me to speak at the Republican convention, and I told him I’d be happy to do so,” the Texas Republican said. “There was no discussion of any endorsement.”  

Asked later Thursday by Roll Call if he has had any conversations about what to do with his own delegates at the Cleveland convention, Cruz said “I have not.”  

When asked by a reporter if the vacant seat on the Supreme Court could get Cruz to decide to back Trump, the Texas senator said the status of the high court remained a real concern.  

“There is no doubt that the Supreme Court hangs in the balance, and that many of our most precious freedoms are one vote away from being stripped from American citizens,” Cruz said. “It is one of the most troubling aspects of where we are today.”  

The former presidential candidate first disclosed his upcoming speaking role to television networks gathered outside a Heritage Foundation event in Washington on Thursday.

Cruz met with Trump and Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus on Thursday following the billionaire mogul’s audience with Senate Republicans at the Senate campaign committee building, a person familiar with the session confirmed.  

Cruz suspended his presidential campaign in May after losing the Indiana primary. Relations between the senator and Trump had grown increasingly bitter over the course of the primary season.


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