Perry: I am going to ‘push back hard’ against Trump

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry said on Sunday that he will not relent in his criticism of Donald Trump’s 2016 Oval Office bid.

{mosads}Perry vowed he would continue attacking Trump’s rhetoric as both men struggle for the GOP’s presidential nomination.

“I am going to push back and push back hard,” Perry told host Chris Wallace on “Fox News Sunday.”

“I am not going to be quiet while Donald Trump shoots a bullet through John McCain and hits U.S. military veterans,” he said.

“I think that was one of the low moments of this campaign so far,” Perry added. “I’m not going to let anyone belittle those individuals.”

Trump shocked listeners earlier this month by mocking Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) for his captivity during the Vietnam War.

Perry argued on Sunday that the incident is an example of Trump’s positions that disqualify him from the presidency.

“I don’t know what Donald Trump is paying attention to,” he said.

“He does not know it is the federal government’s responsibility to secure the borders, not the state of Texas’s,” Perry said.

“When I’m the president of the United States, the will to secure that border will reside in the Oval Office every single day,” he added.

Perry additionally said he is ready for the first round of televised GOP presidential debates next week.

“People are going to see a very focused candidate,” Perry said.

“They want to see a debate performance that is more than passable,” he said of viewers. “I would argue that is what they’ll get.”

“It is going to be very reflective of the preparation we’ve done,” Perry added. “This is not a one-shot pony here.”