Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) declined to endorse Donald Trump during his Republican National Convention speech Wednesday, instead urging voters to vote with their conscience, a call that prompted many in the crowd to chant “We want Trump!” over him.
Cruz’s speech appeared to be going over well until he echoed the #NeverTrump movement’s “vote your conscience” refrain (Cruz only said Trump’s name once, to congratulate him at the top of the speech, but not to endorse him.)
“If you love our country, and love your children as much as I know that you do, stand and speak and vote your conscience, vote for candidates up and down the ticket who you trust to defend our freedom and to be faithful to the Constitution,” he said.
After that line, people began to boo, scream over him and chat “we want Trump!”
Cruz attempted to brush off the growing chaos and chants, but the crowd continued as they began to boo him.
“I appreciate the enthusiasm of the New York delegation,” he said.
As Cruz continued his speech, the crowd booed and chanted louder and the screens behind him began to flicker. At the end of Cruz’s speech, Donald Trump appeared, seemingly unplanned, in the conventional hall, garnering cheers. C-SPAN cameras followed Trump’s entrance rather than the end of Cruz’s speech.
Watch below:
