Ted Cruz labelled a hypocrite after bizarrely calling Trump ‘reckless and irresponsible’

Ted Cruz has sparked backlash with his “hypocritical” comments about Trump’s involvement in the Capitol riot.

The Texas senator condemned Trump’s rhetoric in the lead up to the deadly riot as being “reckless and irresponsible” in a new podcast interview. He said:

“President Trump’s rhetoric, I think, went way too far over the line. I think it was both reckless and irresponsible. Because he said over and over again he won by a landslide; there was massive fraud; it was all stolen everywhere.

The campaign did not prove that in any court. And to make a determination about an election, it has to be based on the evidence and so simply saying the result you want: that’s not responsible and you’ve never heard me use language like that.”

Although Cruz maintained that the Democrats and the “news media” are downplaying the extent to which voter fraud occurring during the election is possible, his stance on Trump appears to mark a shift from earlier comments.

Just three weeks after the riot, Cruz said that it was “time to move on” and stop playing “partisan games”. He has also described the impeachment proceedings brought against the former president for inciting an insurrection as “vindictive” and “petty”.

Cruz was accused of “hypocrisy” and of trying to "rewrite history” after condemning Trump. 

Another described his comments as “four years too late”. 

Even after the Capitol riot, Cruz voted against confirming Biden as president in an act the Democrats described as lending “legitimacy” to the mob.

His record speaks for itself. Backtracking on his involvement with Trump and his administration is unlikely to be forgotten any time soon.