US republican presidential hopeful, Marco Rubio, has criticised Donald Trump for saying that Islam “hates the United States”, in a televised debate in Miami.
Mr Rubio, who faced a do-or-die contest in Florida on Tuesday, said that Islam had a problem with radicalisation but that many Muslims are proud Americans.
Meanwhile, the four republicans heeded pleas from party leaders to have a civil debate.
Unlike in the last TV debate, which was littered with personal insults, the event was more substantive with a focus on policy.
But on the issue of Islam, there was clear distance between Mr Trump and the others. All three of his rivals disagreed with him that the families of terrorists should be killed. But Mr Trump stood by comments he made earlier in the day.
The candidates also clashed over President Barack Obama’s historic visit to Cuba next week.
Mr Rubio, whose parents were Cuban immigrants, said he was opposed to efforts to restore relations until Cuba improved its human rights record.
But Mr Trump said he was not opposed to a US-Cuba deal, but it should be on better terms for the US.
The other Cuban-American candidate on the stage, Mr Cruz, accused Mr Trump of supporting the Obama-Clinton policy on Cuba.
On Tuesday, five large states will vote for a presidential candidate in each party, with Ohio Governor, John Kasich and a Florida Senator, Mr Rubio, under pressure to win their home states.
