Senator Ted Cruz has been placed under scrutiny after newly obtained secret recordings show him making severe criticisms of President Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance during private meetings with donors.
The nearly 10-minute recordings capture Cruz’s direct attacks on Trump’s tariff policies and his dismissive remarks about Vance. In one segment, Cruz stated: “Tucker created JD. JD is Tucker’s protégé, and they are one and the same.”
Cruz also warned donors that Trump’s recent tariffs could trigger a major economic downturn, saying: “Mr. President, if we get to November of [2026] and people’s 401(k)s are down 30% and prices are up 10–20% at the supermarket, we’re going to go into Election Day, face a bloodbath.”
According to the recordings, Cruz alleged that Trump responded with: “Fk you, Ted.”
The recordings further reveal Cruz’s claims that both Tucker Carlson and JD Vance were involved in the removal of former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. Cruz stated: “Waltz supported being vigorous against Iran and bombing Iran — and Tucker and JD took Mike out.”
Additionally, Cruz accused Vance and Carlson of supporting the appointment of Army veteran Daniel Davis, a critic of U.S. support for Israel, to a senior intelligence role.
The recordings were made in early and mid-2025 and provide insight into Cruz’s strategy ahead of his potential 2028 presidential campaign.
