Ted Cruz slams NBC for cutting ties with 'terrific' Donald Trump

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) thinks NBC was wrong to cut off its business relationship with real-estate mogul and television personality Donald Trump.

"When it comes to Donald Trump, I like Donald Trump. I think he's terrific. I think he's brash. I think he speaks the truth," Cruz said Tuesday morning on Fox & Friends.

Trump, like Cruz, is campaigning for the GOP presidential nomination in 2016.

The day before, NBC said it was dumping Trump because of controversial comments the candidate made about Mexican immigrants. During his campaign announcement, Trump accused Mexico of sending its rapists and drug dealers to America.

The network said it will not carry Trump's Miss USA and Miss Universe beauty pageants, and it indicated that Trump would no longer host "The Apprentice."

Cruz said NBC "is engaging in political correctness that is silly and that is wrong." 

"I don't think you should apologize for speaking out against the problem that is illegal immigration. I recognize that the PC world of the mainstream media, they don't want to admit it, but the American people are fed up," he said. "Donald Trump is exactly right to highlight the need" to crack down on illegal immigration.

Asked if Mexican migrants are "mostly" rapists and drug dealers, Cruz replied: "They're not mostly that. But Donald Trump - he has a way of speaking that gets attention. And I credit him for focusing on an issue that needs to be focused on."

Trump appreciated Cruz's comments, tweeting a "thank you" to him Tuesday morning:

Watch Cruz's interview on Trump below: