Donald Trump has been attacked by his political rivals during the much-hyped second Republican US presidential TV debate which kicked off with a series of punchy exchanges.
The 11 candidates, selected on the basis of recent polls, went head-to-head at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.
Senator Rand Paul said Mr Trump's habit of hurling personal insults made him "worried to have someone like that in charge of the nuclear arsenal".
Mr Trump hit back, saying: "I never attacked him on his look, and believe me, there's plenty of subject matter right there."
The mudslinging didn't end there. Mr Trump threw a jibe at Jeb Bush, saying he liked that he was "showing energy", having previously said that he lacked it.
Former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina gave a strong performance with detailed answers on foreign policy and powerful attacks on Hillary Clinton's achievements.
She attacked Mr Trump's business acumen, reminding the millions of viewers that he filed for bankruptcy four times.
She said: "That is precisely the way you ran your companies.
"You ran up mountains of debt, as well as losses, using other people's money. Why should we trust you to manage the finances of this nation?"
Earlier they bickered over Mr Trump's recent insult to Ms Fiorina, saying people might not vote for her because of her face.
"I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr Trump said," she said.
Mr Trump's reply got a more muted response: "I think she's got a beautiful face, and I think she's a beautiful woman."
Mr Trump also sparred with former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, with Mr Bush hitting back at criticism of his brother George's presidency by saying: "One thing about my brother - he made us safe."
The epic debate covered a swathe of issues from the Iran nuclear deal to defunding planned parenthood.
Real estate tycoon Mr Trump, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson and Ms Fiorina have enjoyed a recent rise in the polls thanks to a growing contempt for the perceived establishment elite.
