Donald Trump links Ted Cruz's father to JFK assassination

Donald Trump has linked his Republican presidential rival Senator Ted Cruz's father to the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

The frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination told US channel Fox News that Cruz's father Rafael was with JFK's killer at the time he carried out the murder.

"You know, his father was with Lee Harvey Oswald prior to Oswald's being - you know, shot," Trump said, citing a report from the American tabloid National Enquirer.

"I mean, the whole thing is ridiculous. What is this - right prior to his being shot, and nobody brings it up."

Senator Cruz responded to Mr Trump's comments by calling him a narcissist and a bully.

"I'm going to tell you what I really think of Donald Trump," Mr Cruz told reporters.

"This man is a pathological liar. He doesn't know the differencebetween truth and lies."

In a sarcastic response, Mr Cruz added: "Yes, my dad killed JFK; he is secretly Elvis and Jimmy Hoffa is buried in his back yard."

Senator Cruz also denounced the National Enquirer and its chief executive David Pecker for claiming that his Cuban immigrant father was pictured handing out pro-Fidel Castro literature with Oswald in New Orleans in 1963.

He also lambasted Mr Trump about the billionaire's earlier comment about Mr Cruz's wife Heidi.

"Donald has a real problem with women," Mr Cruz said. "Donald is terrified by strong women - he lashes out at them. The man is utterly amoral. Morality does not exist for him."

Donald Trump holds a double-digit polling lead over Senator Cruz in Tuesday's Indiana primary.