Donald Trump dumps 'presidential demeanour' and launches attack on Ted Cruz

The attack came while Mr Trump was campaigning in Indiana

Mr Trump was campaigning in Indiana (AP)

A day after Donald Trump assumed a presidential demeanour and set out his view of the world in his first foreign policy speech, the Republican frontrunner returned to the campaign trail with an aggressive, bombastic attack on his rivals.

Speaking in Evansville, Indiana, ahead of a primary battle that could mark the last chance for his rivals to stop becoming the nominee, Mr Trump launched into Senator Ted Cruz, accusing him of both lying and of having been “run out” of several recent races.

“Lyin’ Ted…Marco Rubio, who is a good guy, called him a liar during the debate,” said Mr Trump.

(Getty Images)

“He says ‘I’m the only one who can beat Donald Trump’, but I’m the one living. He said he’s won seven times, and I said ‘well I’ve won 21 times.”

Much has been made of the efforts by some of Mr Trump’s advisors to try and persuade him to adopt a more presidential and less aggressive persona. Equally widely reported has been Mr Trump’s refusal to adopt such an image, and stick to his quick-draw, pugilistic self.

Polls put Mr Trump ahead in Indiana, with Real Clear Politics suggesting he stands on 39 points, ahead of Mr Cruz on 33 and Ohio Governor John Kasich on 19 points.

But as part of an electoral agreement between Mr Trump’s rivals, Mr Kasisch, the Ohio Governor, has agreed not to campaign in Indiana to clear the way for Mr Cruz. In exchange, Mr Cruz has said he will reciprocate the favour and stand aside for Mr Kasich in Oregon, which votes on May 17, and New Mexico, which votes on June 7.

It is unclear what difference Mr Kasich’s absence from the contest will make and whether his supporters will switch to Mr Cruz, or whether they may vote for Mr Trump or even not bother to vote at all.

But Mr Cruz knows that he has to win in Indiana if he is to stop Mr Trump in his bid to secure the 1,237 delegates he needs to secure the party’s nomination ahead of the Republican convention in July. Mr Trump currently has 953, ahead of Mr Cruz on 546, and Mr Kasich trailing in third on 153. Mr Cruz on Wednesday announced that had selected Carly Fiorina as his running mate.

Mr Trump has even claimed that Mr Cruz has won many of this delegates by offering favours such as “steaks and trips”.

The Associated Press said that Mr Trump now has 80 per cent of the delegates needed to win the Republican nomination. During the remaining eight weeks of the primary campaign, he needs just 47 percent of the remaining delegates to clinch the nomination and avoid a contested convention.

Many observers believed it will be challenge for Mr Trump to reach that total ahead of the convention. His opponents within the Republican establishment are desperate to try and halt by by voting for an alternative candidate.