Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, appears to be positioning himself for a 2028 presidential run against Vice President J.D. Vance by leaning into his longstanding feud with Tucker Carlson, reports Axios.
Cruz has persistently gone after Carlson, a Vance ally, in recent weeks, including blasting him for platforming notorious white supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes.
Carlson’s interview with Fuentes fractured the Republican Party and led to a flood of resignations at the prominent conservative think tank Heritage Foundation after its president initially defended Carlson.
Cruz has used the opportunity to stake out a claim “as a traditional, pro-interventionist Republican” ahead of 2028, according to Axios. He has also used his platform to criticize Carlson as a “growing cancer” of antisemitism on the right and double down on his support for Israel.
“It’s definitely getting noticed,” RJC CEO Matt Brooks told Axios.
Cruz told Axios, “We have a responsibility to speak out even when it’s uncomfortable.”
“When voices in our own movement push dangerous and misguided ideas, we can’t look the other way,” he said. “I won’t hesitate to call out those who peddle destructive, vile rhetoric and threaten our principles and our future. Silence in the face of recklessness is not an option.”
Carlson laughed off Cruz’s strategy when reached by text.
“Good luck,” he wrote. “That’s my comment and heartfelt view.”
Vance has been critical of Fuentes but has stayed silent on Carlson.
President Donald Trump on Sunday defended Carlson, citing “good interviews” he has had over the years with the former Fox News host.
“You can’t tell him who to interview,” he told reporters.
“If he wants to interview Nick Fuentes, I don’t know much about him, but if he wants to do it, get the word out,” Trump said. “People have to decide.”
Trump a few minutes later added, “Meeting people, talking to people for somebody like Tucker — that’s what they do. You know, people are controversial.”
The president then said: “I’m not controversial, so I like it that way.”
Cruz, who unsuccessfully ran for president in 2016, has criticized his GOP colleagues for not calling out Carlson.
“My colleagues, almost to a person, think what is happening is horrible, but a great many of them are frightened because he has one hell of a big megaphone,” he said in a speech at the Federalist Society’s National Lawyers Convention earlier this month.
Cruz has already taken steps toward a presidential run, including hitting the speaker’s circuit and endorsing candidates in down-ballot races. He is also hosting a Republican donor retreat next year.
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