The GOP is facing insurmountable criticism after two of their leading candidates engaged in an attack on each other’s wives on the campaign trail on Thursday.

 Donald Trump once again turned to Twitter to stir up controversy by tweeting he would “spill the beans” on Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s wife if he wasn’t careful. He claims Cruz started this attack with an anti-Trump ad featuring Melania Trump posing nude.

However, the ad was actually produced by an anti-Trump super PAC, Make America Awesome, and has no known connection to the senator or his campaign. In response, Cruz retaliated by tweeting, “Pic of your wife not from us. Donald, if you try to attack Heidi, you’re more of a coward than I thought.”

Instead of dropping the pointless and dirty attacks, Trump retweeted a picture of both Melania Trump and Heidi Cruz and refused to relent on calling Cruz a liar.

Though Trump is known for being a hotheaded candidate, this recent attack is low even for him. So where did this juvenile attitude come from?

Just a day prior to the controversial tweet, Trump showed just how uneducated he was on foreign policy when giving a speech in response to the Brussels attacks.

Hours after the deadly attacks on Tuesday, Trump idiotically demanded the U.S. reduce its spending on NATO, even though Belgium is a member of the organization and its headquarters are located in Brussels.

This lack of tact did not go unnoticed by supporters who were already criticizing Trump’s claims not to rule out using nuclear weapons in the war on ISIS.

There is a reason nukes haven’t been used in almost 71 years: they are barbaric.

There were an estimated 90,000 to 146,000 people killed in Hiroshima and 39,000 to 80,000 people killed in Nagasaki. Two bombs wiped out hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom were innocent civilians. To casually suggest such a weapon be used is appalling.

Coincidentally, Trump curbed the conversation on his foreign policy by unleashing a Twitter war in the name of defending his wife. After all, Trump may not be an expert on politics, but he is by far a professional at insulting women.

In 2012, Trump tweeted that Arianna Huffington’s husband made a good decision in leaving her for a man because she was “unattractive both inside and out.”

In 2013, he stated having one of the women on “Celebrity Apprentice: All-Stars” drop to her knees would make a “pretty picture.” 

Not to mention his multiple criticisms of both Rosie O’Donnell and Fox News host Megyn Kelly. Trump may not have any idea what is going on in the world or how to correctly handle terrorism, but he knows misogyny well.

While the GOP struggles to clean up after their prejudiced and unqualified leading contender, Cruz is thankfully attempting to rise above the chaos. Instead of resorting to bashing tactics, he simply tweeted, “Donald, real men don’t attack women. Your wife is lovely, and Heidi is the love of my life.”

Though he did call Trump a “sniveling coward” and warned him to “leave Heidi the hell alone,” he is at least refusing to get down in the muck with him.

Hopefully Cruz will nab the Republican nomination. Otherwise, it seems highly unlikely the GOP will have a shot at the White House. Republicans are renowned for taking their foreign policy seriously and will not look kindly on a candidate oblivious on how to handle the war on terrorism.

A recent CNN poll also found that prior to the Twitter quarrel over Cruz’s wife, 73 percent of registered female voters had an unfavorable view of Trump. That number will only continue to rise as he makes it his mission to degrade every woman he comes in contact with.

It’s too late in the game for candidates to make these mistakes. Lack of judgment or morals on the campaign trail will undoubtedly equal a shutout from the presidency.

Breanne Williams is a junior majoring in mass communications.