‘Tucker created JD’ – Ted Cruz blasts JD Vance over ties to Tucker Carlson

Republican senator criticizes President Trump in leaked recordings, excoriates Vice President Vance as a “protege” of far-right podcaster Tucker Carlson.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Republican Texas Senator Ted Cruz sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s protectionist policies in recently leaked recordings and excoriated Vice President JD Vance over his ties to far-right podcaster Tucker Carlson, whom Cruz has criticized in the past for his isolationist, anti-Israel views.

On Sunday, Axios published quotes taken from 10 minutes of audio recordings from meetings with donors in early and mid-2025.

The report said the recordings were provided by a Republican source.

During the meetings, Cruz took aim at Trump’s tariffs, warning they would harm the American economy.

In one recording, Cruz recalled a telephone conference between Cruz, several other senators, and Trump after the launch of the new tariff regime in April.

In the call, the lawmakers urged Trump to reverse course. Cruz said that the call “did not go well,” with the president “yelling” and “cursing” at the senators. “Trump was in a bad mood.”

“I’ve been in conversations where he was very happy. This was not one of them.”

The telephone conference stretched on past midnight, Cruz said, adding that when he warned the president that the tariffs could cost Republicans their majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate, Trump responded angrily, saying: “F**k you, Ted.”

Cruz also blasted Vance’s close ties to Tucker Carlson, arguing that Vance has adopted the podcaster’s staunchly isolationist policies.

“Tucker created JD. JD is Tucker’s protégé, and they are one and the same.”

Carlson and the Texas senator have openly criticized each other repeatedly, and clashed during an interview on Carlson’s podcast last June.

The former Fox News host has excoriated Cruz and other conservatives over their support for the State of Israel, calling Christian Zionism a “heresy,” while Cruz has slammed Carlson over his interview with white supremacist Nick Fuentes and what Cruz described as Carlson’s “hardcore isolationism.”

In the recordings, Cruz accused Vance and Carlson of working together to oust then-National Security Adviser Mike Waltz over Waltz’s hawkish positions regarding Iran.

“Tucker and JD took Mike out,” Cruz said, claiming it was due to Waltz’s support for “being vigorous against Iran.”

Cruz blamed the appointment of Israel critic Daniel L. Davis to a top national intelligence position on Vance and Carlson.

The appointment was later withdrawn amid pushback from Republican lawmakers, including Cruz.

JD VanceTed CruzTucker Carlson