Senator Ted Cruz praised President Trump's "Lyin' Ted" nickname as politically effective during a Pod Force One interview, prompting swift online mockery. Critics recalled Cruz's earlier 2016 attacks calling Trump a "pathological liar" after highly personal accusations. Social-media figures and journalists targeted both Cruz's remarks and his appearance, using pop-culture and sartorial jokes. The episode renewed attention to the intense animosity that marked their 2016 rivalry.
How Pathetic: Internet Roasts Ted Cruz After He Calls Trump's 'Lyin' Ted' Taunt 'Genius'
‘How Pathetic’: Internet Erupts Over Ted Cruz Praising Trump’s ‘Lyin’ Ted’ Insult as ‘Genius’
Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) drew widespread online ridicule after he praised President Donald Trump's decision to brand him "Lyin' Ted," calling the nickname politically effective and even "instinctual genius." Cruz made the comments during an appearance on New York Post columnist Miranda Devine's Pod Force One podcast, revisiting the bitter 2016 Republican primary clash that left deep personal scars.
What He Said
"Which I will admit was politically very effective. Look, the man has an instinctual genius," Cruz said. "What was so effective about it was that my single strongest attribute was that the voters trusted me… The Jiu-Jitsu of Trump was to take my greatest strength and make an attack that goes right at it, and I think he does that instinctually in a very effective way."
Context: The 2016 Feud
Many critics quickly pointed out that Cruz's new compliment clashes with his earlier, much harsher rhetoric. During the 2016 primary, Cruz called Trump a "pathological liar" and "a narcissist at a level I don't think this country has ever seen" after Trump amplified an unverified claim linking Cruz's father to Lee Harvey Oswald and made personal attacks on Cruz's wife.
Online Backlash
The podcast comments reignited that history and prompted a wave of mockery across social platforms. Conservative commentator George Conway resurfaced past exchanges to remind followers how personal the rivalry had been. Influencer Spencer Hakimian introduced video of Cruz's remarks by calling the senator a "pathetic cuck." Others focused on Cruz's appearance rather than the politics: former Trump White House deputy press secretary Sarah Matthews mocked the senator's brightly colored suit, while New York Times reporter Glenn Thrush quipped "make america grape again." MSNBC's Matt Fuller joked that "Ted Cruz looks like he's about to sell a town a monorail," referencing an old Simpsons gag. Republican consultant Dan Bayens and menswear writer Derek Guy added pop-culture and sartorial jabs, respectively.
Bottom Line
Cruz's praise of the nickname served as both a reminder of the effectiveness of Trump's attacks and a flashpoint for renewed online derision—reawakening memories of the bitter and deeply personal 2016 primary. The story originally appeared on Mediaite.
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