Recordings Reveal Sen. Ted Cruz Criticizing Trump and Vance

Recordings provided to Axios capture U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz criticizing President Donald Trump’s tariff policy and Vice President JD Vance at two donor meetings in early and mid-2025, totaling nearly 10 minutes, according to Axios.

The disclosures matter because Cruz, who ran against Trump in 2016 and later became a public ally, is positioning as a free-trade, pro-intervention Republican ahead of a possible 2028 bid, analysts said.

Cruz’s office did not deny the recordings in a statement to Axios and said he remains 'the president’s greatest ally in the Senate,' while the White House did not respond, Axios reported.

Axios said the tapes were supplied by a Republican source and include Cruz warning that 401(k)s could fall 30% and groceries could rise 10–20% if Trump’s tariff policies continued.

The recordings could sharpen a 2028 primary fight with Vice President JD Vance, whom prediction markets view as the overwhelming favorite, and may shape Republican primary messaging, analysts said.