Donald Trump blasted his remaining two GOP presidential rivals after they announced an agreement Sunday to coordinate in upcoming primary contests with the aim of preventing Trump from securing the nomination.
"Honestly, it shows such total weakness, and it's pathetic when two longtime insider politicians - establishment guys whether you like it or not - have to collude, have to get together to try to beat a guy that really speaks what the people want," Trump said during a campaign event in Warwick, Rhode Island, on Monday.
The real estate mogul's campaign advisers have encouraged him to tone down his bombastic rhetoric in recent days to appear more presidential. But that advice fell by the wayside Monday as Trump ridiculed Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Ohio Gov. John Kasich in highly personal terms.
"I watch Cruz this morning, and he's all mixed up because he's losing so badly, and when he's under pressure he's like a basket case. So he's stuttering, and he's stammering," Trump said.
Trump also derided Cruz's manner of speaking and said that his colleagues in the Senate believe him to be "a pain in the ass.""He doesn't know anything about the economy, he doesn't know anything about jobs, he was a failed senator, he couldn't get anything passed. Nothing."
But his most cutting comments came at the expense of Kasich, who Trump repeatedly infantilised, and at one point imitated in a mock baby voice. Trump specifically mocked the way Kasich eats, calling it "disgusting."
"I have never seen a human being eat in such a disgusting fashion. I'm always telling my young son Barron, I'm saying - and I, always with my kids, all of them - I say, 'Children, small little bites. Small,' " Trump said. "This guy takes a pancake, and he's shoving it in his mouth. It's disgusting! Do you want that for your president? I don't think so, I don't think so, honestly, it's disgusting."
Trump added that he advised his young son, Barron Trump, 10, not to watch Kasich eating on television.
"I told my son, he was watching, he said, "Daddy, look!' I said, 'Don't watch!' Little bites, little bites," Trump said.
Trump mocked Kasich for winning just one primary contest, in his home state of Ohio. He said that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie - who has endorsed Trump - and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio were doing far better than Kasich earlier this year but knew when it was time to leave the primary.
"What is he doing? What is he doing, really? He's just a stubborn guy, that's all he is. He's a stubborn guy," Trump said of Kasich. "He's like if you have a child, that just says, 'I want it, mommy. I don't care, mommy. I want it, daddy. I don't care, I want it!' That's all he is."