DI has documented statements by Ted Cruz on 2026 Midterm Elections, Education, and Free Speech, among other topics. Read the quotations, original sources and related cases below.
Eastman's disbarment infringes protected attorney advocacy and threatens clients' access to independent counsel.
“Action: Submitted a joint amicus brief with Mike Lee urging Supreme Court review of John Eastman's California disbarment.”
Read the original text (opens in a new tab)Brief for U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and Mike Lee as Amici Curiae in Support of PetitionerNo. 26-336; Interest of Amici Curiae and Summary of the Argument
Why we used this label
Relative to Eastman's disbarment, the brief Cruz joined argues that the sanction punishes protected legal advocacy and fails strict scrutiny. That criticizes the disbarment itself rather than how it is described.
Role at the time: U.S. senator from Texas, questioning Smith at the Senate Judiciary hearing
Condemned
Statement summary
Sen. Ted Cruz asked Smith about 2 U.S.C. section 6628, which Cruz said protects Senate communication records, and said Smith gave a judge an order contrary to federal law and got the judge to sign such orders repeatedly. When Smith said his office's work securing the subpoenas and nondisclosure orders was consistent with the law, Cruz said the orders were explicitly contrary to federal statute and to the federal constitution.
“So instead, you gave the judge an order that was contrary to federal law, and you got the judge to sign order after order after order that was contrary to federal law.
...
It was explicitly contrary to federal statute. It was explicitly contrary to the federal constitution.”
Watch the original video (opens in a new tab)Oversight of Jack Smith's Abuse of Authority and the Targeting of Republicans and Related Matters (hearing video) · Senate Committee on the JudiciarySen. Ted Cruz's questions and Smith's answers on nondisclosure orders and 2 U.S.C. section 6628, about 3:17:00 to 3:20:15 on the archived video timeline
Why we used this label
Cruz said the nondisclosure orders Smith's office obtained were contrary to a federal statute and to the Constitution. That rejects the nondisclosure orders as improper, so we labeled it Condemned.
Ted Cruz voted nay on H.Con.Res. 89, a vote against directing the removal of U.S. forces from unauthorized hostilities with Iran.
“On the Concurrent Resolution H.Con.Res. 89: A concurrent resolution directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.”
Voted against directing the removal of U.S. forces from unauthorized hostilities with Iran, a vote to let U.S. involvement continue without congressional authorization.
Role at the time: United States senator from Texas
Condemned
Statement summary
In a September 22 X post, Sen. Ted Cruz rejected what he called the “Bernie Sanders game of giving away free stuff.” The Hill reported the post and related remarks in coverage that identified President Trump’s proposed $5,000 adult dividend.
“The way to be a populist is not to get into the Bernie Sanders game of giving away free stuff.”
Sen. Ted Cruz called Bo French's post "idiotic" and said he wished it hadn't been sent, without characterizing it as racist.
“Look, it was an idiotic tweet that he sent. I wish he hadn't sent it. And I got to say, I am celebrating every student at UT, and I was proud to be there in Austin, and it was a hell of a win. Hook 'em horns.”
Cruz directly criticizes the post as "idiotic" and says he wishes French had not sent it. He does not call it racist or ask French to apologize or withdraw it, so his criticism is milder than Cornyn's or Burrows's.
A four-second video clip shows Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez laughing inappropriately while the names of September 11 victims were being read.
“How the hell do you laugh while the names of those murdered on 9/11 are being read aloud?”
Open source (opens in a new tab)New video shows interaction between NYC Mayor Mamdani and AOC at 9/11 ceremony after the moment sparked debate
Why we used this label
Cruz directly criticizes what he characterizes as Mamdani and Ocasio-Cortez laughing during the reading of victims' names, an express condemnation.
Role at the time: U.S. senator from Texas, interviewed on CNN's The Source with Kaitlan Collins
Defended or excused
Response to this claim
Vice President JD Vance said he would not call the U.S. fight with Iran a war, saying there is no active shooting right now and that major combat operations lasted about six weeks.
“I think it is a military conflict. There's relatively little active military engagement right now. There are occasional skirmishes. There's some shots back and forth. But it's been several months since we've had sustained military conflict.
...
Are there some ongoing hostilities? Yes, but it is not as sustained. And it is not a military conflict that has major engagement most days.”
Open the original interview (opens in a new tab)The Source with Kaitlan Collins: interview with Sen. Ted Cruz (CNN rush transcript, September 8, 2026) · CNNInterview of Ted Cruz by Kaitlan Collins, answers beginning "I think it is a military conflict" and "I think compared to when we were doing massive bombing"
Why we used this label
The reference point is Vance's statement that he would not call the fighting a war. Asked directly whether it is a war, Cruz answers "I think it is a military conflict" and describes little active engagement, which supports the not-a-war description. He acknowledges "ongoing hostilities" but calls them "not as sustained", so defends or excuses fits better than mixed or conditional.
Bo French used an image of apparent South Asian UT fans to argue that foreigners were displacing Americans. Critics called the posts racist or xenophobic; French and supporters said they raised a legitimate immigration and admissions dispute.
At the September 9, 2026 Republican convention, Donald Trump promised $5,000 per adult citizen if Republicans retained the House and Senate. Supporters called it a share of economic gains; critics questioned the election condition, legality, timing, cost, and tariff-revenue financing.
Networked automated license-plate cameras can assemble searchable records of vehicle movements. Candidates and officials disagree over whether to ban the systems, keep them with limits, or defend them as investigative tools. This tracker separates outright bans from narrower restrictions.
Vice President JD Vance said he would not call the U.S. fight with Iran a war, citing no active shooting. President Trump defended the description; Sanders, Schumer and Massie criticized it, and Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson called the fighting aggression, not war.
JD Vance and conservative commentators challenged Abdul El-Sayed’s opposition to Sharia bans. El-Sayed defended religious freedom and rejected imposing his faith, while critics disputed his comparison between Sharia and Christian canon law.
Rudy Giuliani, George Pataki, and some September 11 victims’ relatives opposed Zohran Mamdani attending the 2026 memorial, citing his rhetoric and associations. Mamdani said he would honor victims; other elected officials and a family group said excluding the sitting mayor would politicize the commemoration.
Cruz and Lee argue John Eastman's disbarment threatens lawyers' speech and clients' access to counsel. California's State Bar says the evidence showed he advanced false election claims. The petition is set for the Supreme Court's November 6 conference, and review has not been granted.
An issue tracker recording where members of Congress and 2026 midterm candidates stand on the unauthorized Iran war, based on their votes on war-powers resolutions, campaign statements, and public remarks.
Roberts' majority rejects the universities' use of racial classifications. Sotomayor and Jackson argue that limited race-conscious admissions can advance equality. Their disagreement concerns constitutional meaning, individual treatment and the consequences of ignoring existing inequality.
Republicans say Jack Smith's team improperly obtained members of Congress's phone records and texts and used nondisclosure orders to hide it. Smith and Democrats say the toll records were approved and lawful; Smith says the texts came from White House phones. Member counts differ.
