Donald Trump targeted by Republican rivals in bitter debate

Donald Trump's Republican rivals launched an all-out assault to try to slow his juggernaut-like momentum in the last presidential debate before a vote that could decide the contest.

Marco Rubio led the charge, mocking the billionaire for hiring illegal workers, going bankrupt four times and running a “fake” university. The Florida senator taunted Mr Trump for making his clothing line in Mexico and China and said: “If he hadn’t inherited $200 million he’d be selling watches in Manhattan.”

Texas senator Ted Cruz, 45, said that while he was battling an immigration amnesty in the Senate in 2013 his reality TV star rival was “firing Dennis Rodman on Celebrity Apprentice”.

At times, Mr Trump looked rattled — but whether it affects his commanding lead remains to be seen. The real estate mogul, 69, has won three out of four primaries and looks on course to clean up next week on “Super Tuesday”, when 12 states decide their candidate.

Mr Trump leads in nine of the states and if he wins them he will be on his way to clinching the nomination. He would then face off with the Democratic Party’s candidate for the presidency.

Last night’s heated debate in Houston, Texas, began with Mr Cruz and Mr Rubio, who is seen as the establishment candidate, tearing into the billionaire. Mr Rubio, 44, said Mr Trump had hired illegal workers to build Trump Tower, his flagship property in New York.

Mr Trump shot back: “I’m the only one [here] who’s hired people. I’ve hired tens of thousands of people.” Mr Rubio said: “Many from other countries!”

Mr Cruz said a “federal court found Donald guilty of a conspiracy to hire people illegally”.

But Mr Trump told Mr Cruz: “Nobody likes you. I get along with everybody... you don’t have one Republican senator backing you.”

The debate turned to Mr Trump’s plan to build a wall with Mexico to stop illegal immigrants — and get Mexico to pay for it. To cheers, Mr Rubio said: “If he builds the wall the way he builds [his Florida estate] Mar-a-Lago he’ll be using illegal workers to do it. Your ties and clothes he made are made in Mexico and China. Make them in America!”

Mr Trump told him: “You don’t know anything about business.” Mr Rubio replied “I don’t know anything about bankrupting companies either”, before taunting the tycoon about his “fake” Trump University, which is at the centre of a legal action. Afterwards, Mr Trump told CNN he had “really enjoyed the debate” and said the contest would be “over quickly”.