National Enquirer

====Ted Cruz and Donald Trump====
The ''National Enquirer'' enthusiastically endorsed [[Donald Trump]] for the [[2016 United States presidential election|2016 presidential election]] and published numerous stories promoting his candidacy and denigrating his opponents.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2016/05/09/trumps_tabloid_130505.html|last=Cannon|first=Carl|title=Trump's tabloid|work=RealClearPolitics.com|date=May 9, 2016|access-date=May 15, 2016}}</ref> During the Republican presidential primaries in March 2016, the title ran a story alleging that "political operatives" were investigating whether candidate [[Ted Cruz]], a U.S. Senator from [[Texas]], engaged in extramarital affairs.<ref>Hopper, Jessica. [https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/ted-cruz-blames-sleazy-donald-national-enquirer-report/story?id=37932391 "Cruz Blames 'Sleazy Donald' for ''National Enquirer'' Report"], [[ABC News]] (March 25, 2016).</ref><ref name=NBC>Hillyard, Vaughn and Rafferty, Andrew. [http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/ted-cruz-calls-tabloid-report-garbage-n545611 "Ted Cruz Calls Tabloid Report on Alleged Affairs 'Garbage'"], [[NBC News]] (March 25, 2016).</ref> Cruz denied it and said that Trump had used his connections to persuade the ''Enquirer'' to publish the story.<ref name=NBC /> Trump denied involvement.<ref>Gaudino, Nicole.  [https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/03/25/ted-cruz-blames-donald-trump-enquirer-affairs-story/82257996/ "Ted Cruz blames Donald Trump for 'Enquirer' affairs story"], ''[[USA Today]]'' (March 25, 2016).</ref>

The ''National Enquirer'' ran another story in April 2016, suggesting that Cruz's father, [[Rafael Cruz]], knew [[John F. Kennedy|JFK]] assassin [[Lee Harvey Oswald]] and worked with Oswald in New Orleans a few months before the assassination.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nationalenquirer.com/celebrity/ted-cruz-scandal-father-jfk-assassination|title=Ted Cruz's Father – Caught With JFK Assassin|last=Taylor|first=J.R.|date=April 20, 2016}}</ref><ref name=Bump>Bump, Philip.  [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/05/03/the-50-year-old-mystery-behind-that-photo-of-lee-harvey-oswald/ "The 50-year-old mystery behind that photo of Lee Harvey Oswald"], ''[[The Washington Post]]'' (May 3, 2016).</ref> Trump publicly discussed this story on May 3, 2016 saying to [[Brian Kilmeade]] of [[Fox News]] that "His father was with Lee Harvey Oswald prior to Oswald's being — you know, shot. I mean the whole thing is ridiculous".<ref name=Blake>Blake, Aaron.  [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/05/05/donald-trumps-day-of-contradictions/ "Donald Trump’s day of many contradictions"], ''[[The Washington Post]]'' (May 5, 2016).</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYo5m8R0wcU "DONALD TRUMP FULL INTERVIEW ON FOX & FRIENDS | FOX NEWS (5/3/2016)"] (YouTube).</ref> On May 4, 2016 (a few hours after Cruz lost the [[Indiana Republican primary, 2016|Indiana primary]] and withdrew his candidacy) Trump stated that he did not actually believe the story ("Of course I don't believe that") but the ''Enquirer'' wanted to "let the people read it."<ref name=Blake /> Kilmeade has since expressed regret for not following up on Trump's May 3 comment during that interview.<ref>[http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/kilmeade-regret-trump-rafael-cruz-rumor "Fox Host Regrets Not Pressing Trump When He Linked Cruz's Dad To Oswald"], ''[[Talking Points Memo]]'' (May 5, 2016).</ref> On July 22, 2016, Trump again mentioned the magazine in connection with Cruz's father, saying "I know nothing about his father. I know nothing about Lee Harvey Oswald. But there was a picture on the front page of the ''National Enquirer'' that does have credibility."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Morrow|first1=Brendan|title=Donald Trump Says He Would Reject Ted Cruz Endorsement|url=http://heavy.com/news/2016/07/watch-video-donald-trump-response-respond-ted-cruz-will-reject-endorsement-not-accept-defend-attack-father-wife-heidi/|access-date=July 22, 2016|date=July 22, 2016}}</ref><ref>[https://www.c-span.org/video/?413063-1/donald-trump-says-wont-accept-endorsement-senator-cruz "Donald Trump Remarks in Cleveland, Ohio"], [[C-Span]] (July 22, 2016).  See this video starting at 22:08.</ref>