Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) set the document straight after he was criticized for flying to California on a deliberate journey forward of a “catastrophic” winter storm projected to blast by way of the Lone Star State this weekend.
The 55-year-old politician was photographed standing up out of his seat and in a crowded aisle on a United Airways flight that had reportedly simply landed within the Golden State on Tuesday.
“Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was noticed earlier immediately, January 20, 2026, on a airplane heading to Laguna Seashore because the state of Texas braces for a uncommon ice menace and arctic chilly entrance,” political commentator Shea Jordan Smith wrote on X.
Cruz’s workplace responded to the viral picture that has been considered greater than 8 million occasions, saying the journey had been deliberate earlier than the storm was forecasted.
“Senator Cruz is presently on pre-planned work journey that was scheduled weeks upfront. He will probably be again in Texas earlier than the storm is projected to hit,” a spokesperson for his workplace informed KHOU.
The livid snow and ice storm will probably be a “widespread probably catastrophic occasion from Texas to the Carolinas, Ryan Maue, a former chief scientist on the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, informed The Put up.
The brutal storm is forecasted to convey heavy snowfall, sleet and freezing rain beginning Friday in Texas earlier than making its method by way of the Midwest to the East Coast.
As much as 2 toes of snow can fall within the southern Appalachians, AccuWeather reported.
Some social media customers condemned Cruz’s flight earlier than studying about his schedule, saying it was a behavior for the senator to flee when the temperature drops.
“Fled Cruz is at it once more,” one commenter jeered.
“Dude doesn’t just like the chilly,” one other wrote.
“I’m noticing a sample,” a 3rd mused.
Different commenters raced to query what authorized powers and skills the three-term senator has throughout a storm.
“Wtf did you anticipate him to do? Come clear your driveway?
“Senator Cruz’s job requires paper and pencil. He ought to have each proper to depart the state throughout state of emergencies identical to another civilian,” one other consumer added.
Different customers pointed to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s journey to Switzerland, the place he was “frolicking” on the World Financial Discussion board throughout President Trump’s speech.
“Are you equally upset with all the opposite politicians in Davos whereas a storm heads in direction of their constituents, or are you simply being a hypocritical little b—h?” a X consumer stated.
Critics had been additionally fast to check Cruz’s flight on Tuesday to his notorious impromptu trip to Cancun in 2021 after Texas was struck by the lethal Winter Storm Uri.
Cruz says his household misplaced energy, and his daughters had been off from college and had needed to flee the chilly.
The household was caught on video absorbing the solar in Mexico whereas hundreds throughout their residence state had been reeling with out energy and meals.
Officers discovered 246 individuals died in Texas because of the storm, in accordance with the Texas Tribune.
Cruz reduce his trip brief and flew again to his Houston residence, saying he regretted taking the journey the second he boarded the flight.
“It was clearly a mistake and in hindsight I wouldn’t have carried out it,” he informed the Dallas Morning Information.
“I used to be attempting to make selections. Whenever you’ve acquired two women who’ve been chilly for 2 days and haven’t had warmth or energy they usually’re saying, ‘Look we don’t have college why don’t we go, let’s get out of right here,’” he stated.
Cruz was additionally criticized for vacationing in Greece whereas devastating floods killed 135 individuals in Texas’ Hill Nation final summer time.
He was photographed taking footage on the famed Parthenon throughout his household’s pre-planned trip when the floods struck early July 4.
The picture got here as Cruz stated he flew again to Texas “as quick as humanly potential,” leaving Sunday and returning to the Lone Star State that evening.
