Trump: Cruz-Kasich ‘joke’ alliance is ‘almost dead’

by Jesse Byrnes - 04/26/16 10:36 AM ET

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Tuesday mocked a push by his rivals to team up to stop him, saying the deal is already crumbling.

Trump tweeted that the alliance between Ted Cruz and John Kasich “is under great strain,” adding, “This joke of a deal is falling apart” and is “almost dead.”

The Cruz-Kasich pact is under great strain. This joke of a deal is falling apart, not being honored and almost dead. Very dumb!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 26, 2016

{mosads}Reports on Sunday said Cruz and Kasich were ready to work together to try to deny Trump the 1,237 delegates needed to clinch the GOP nomination.

The plan, as outlined by their campaigns, would have Kasich avoid campaigning in Indiana ahead of the state’s primary next week so Cruz could gain momentum to take on Trump there. Meanwhile, Cruz would stand down in Oregon and New Mexico while Kasich fought for support there.

Kasich canceled two rallies scheduled for Tuesday in Indiana but is reportedly still attending a private fundraiser in the state. He pushed back at confusion over his mixed signals during a television appearance Tuesday morning, accusing media of being “too hung up on process.”

“I’m not telling people anything in Indiana because I’m not campaigning in Indiana,” Kasich said during an interview on NBC’s “Today” show. “I’m not telling voters what to do. Voters are smart enough to figure out what they want to do.

“I have not told anybody to not vote for me; I’m just not there campaigning,” Kasich added, noting that when a candidate doesn’t appear in the state, their “turnout goes down.”

Meanwhile, Cruz said in a radio interview Tuesday that the alliance was part of “coalition building” to topple Trump.

Tags 2016 GOP primary Donald Trump John Kasich Ted Cruz