The July Fourth weekend brought no relief for Donald Trump, as the businessman-turned-Presidential hopeful found himself under sharp attack from top Republicans, as they slammed Trump's recent remarks about illegal immigrants from Mexico.
"This is a guy who was a Democrat for most of the last decade," said Jeb Bush. "I don't think he represents the Republican Party.
"His views are way out of the maintstream of what Republicans think," Bush added.
Trump fired right back on Independence Day.
"Jeb Bush once again proves that he is out of touch with the American people," Trump said.
But Trump didn't tangle only with Bush.
"I don't think he’s reflecting the Republican Party with his statements about Mexicans," former Texas Gov. Rick Perry said of Trump.
"I think that was huge error on his part and, number one, it's wrong," Perry said in an interview on Fox News.
"Trump's comments are not just offensive and inaccurate, but also divisive," said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL).
"Our next president needs to be someone who brings Americans together - not someone who continues to divide," Rubio said in a statement.
The bad reviews for Trump didn't just come from current candidates, as a past Republican standardbearer chimed in from New Hampshire as well.
"I think he made a severe error in what he said about Mexican-Americans," 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney told CNN at a July Fourth parade in New Hampshire.
The jabs come as recent polls show Trump doing well in a number of statewide and national surveys, as his blunt message has resonated well with a good chunk of GOP voters.
"They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”
Here is what Trump said:
The backlash to those remarks has resulted in a rift between NBC and Trump over the Miss USA Pageant, a separate fight with Univision, as well as with the department store giant Macy's, which dropped Trump's clothing line.
About the only Republican standing by Trump on this matter has been Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).
"I salute Donald Trump for focusing on the need to address illegal immigration,” Cruz said on NBC's Meet the Press, as he blasted the Washington Establishment.
"The Washington cartel doesn't want to address that," Cruz said.
But as of now, Cruz finds himself at odds with many other Republicans on Trump.
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