Exclusive: In secret recordings, Cruz trashes Trump tariffs, Vance

Alex Isenstadt

Sen. Ted Cruz, the Texas Republican eyeing a 2028 White House run, torched Vice President Vance and ridiculed President Trump's tariff policy during private meetings with donors, according to recordings obtained by Axios.

Why it matters:Cruz's rebukes, during two meetings last year, are some of the harshest criticisms of Trump and Vance by a fellow Republican since they took office a year ago.

• The recordings — nearly 10 minutes in total — provide an unvarnished look at how Cruz is positioning himself as a traditional free trade, pro-interventionist Republican ahead of a possible 2028 primary campaign against the less hawkish Vance.

Zoom in:During his talks, Cruz cast Vance as a pawn of conservative podcaster Tucker Carlson. Cruz has accused Carlson of promoting antisemitism and an anti-Israel foreign policy in their well-publicized spats.

• The recordings of Cruz were provided to Axios by a Republican source. They were made in early and middle 2025.

In the latter recording, Cruz warns donors that Trump's tariffs could decimate the economy and lead to his impeachment.

• He tells them that after Trump introduced the tariffs in early April 2025, Cruz and a few other senators had a call with Trump in which they urged him to stand down. Cruz says the lengthy call, which stretched past midnight, "did not go well," and that Trump was "yelling" and "cursing."

"Trump was in a bad mood,"Cruz tells the donors. "I've been in conversations where he was very happy. This was not one of them."

• Cruz says he told Trump: "Mr. President, if we get to November of [2026] and people's 401(k)s are down 30% and prices are up 10–20% at the supermarket, we're going to go into Election Day, face a bloodbath."

• "You're going to lose the House, you're going to lose the Senate, you're going to spend the next two years being impeached every single week."

Trump's response, according to Cruz: "F**k you, Ted."

When a questionerat the donors' session mentions "Liberation Day" — Trump's branding for his tariffs unveiling — Cruz jokes: "I've told my team if anyone uses those words, they will be terminated on the spot. That is not language we use."

• Cruz also told the donors about "battling" the White House to accept a trade agreement with India. When a donor asks who in the administration is resistant to reaching such accords, Cruz mentions White House economic adviser Peter Navarro, Vance and "sometimes" Trump.

Cruz repeatedly brings upVance in the recordings, tying him to Carlson and accusing him of advancing the podcaster's anti-interventionist foreign policy.

•"Tucker created JD. JD is Tucker's protégé, and they are one and the same," Cruz says.

Between the lines:Cruz has been waging a months-long campaign against Carlson on social media. But he has refrained from publicly linking Carlson and Vance, who are friends.

At one pointin the recordings, Cruz alleges that Vance and Carlson pushed for the ousting of former national security adviser Mike Waltz because Waltz supported bombing Iran — a position Trump ultimately embraced.

• Waltz "supported being vigorous against Iran and bombing Iran — and Tucker and JD took Mike out," Cruz tells the donors.

• Vance has said he supported the bombings of Iran's nuclear sites last June.

Cruz alsosays Vance and Carlson were behind the appointment of Army veteran Daniel Davis, a sharp critic of U.S. support for Israel, to a top national intelligence position.

• The senator called Davis "a guy who viciously hates Israel," and said he helped get Davis quickly removed from the job.

What they're saying:A Cruz spokesperson said in a statement thatthe senator is "the president's greatest allyin the Senate and battles every day in the trenches to advance his agenda."

• "Those battles include fights over staffers who try to enter the administration despite disagreeing with the president and seeking to undermine his foreign policy," the statement said.

• "Sen. Cruz is proud of those fights, his accomplishments, and his close relationship with the president. These attempts at sowing division are pathetic and getting boring."

Carlson told Axiosthat he "didn't have anything to do" with the ousting of Waltz or the hiring of Davis.

• Spokespeople for Trump and Vance didn't respond to requests for comment.

https://archive.is/29tAJ

Cruz will never be President! Hes bought and sold by Israel, biggest Zionist in US senate, and will start any war Israel wants. Cruz loves sending US soldiers to war. Thanks to the donor that recorded his betrayalFuck You Ted!

President Donald Trump Releases a Statement on Minnesota Chaos

January 25, 2026 | Sundance |

It is rumored that President Trump is likely to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minneapolis, Minnesota, perhaps as early as Monday afternoon. This is potentially why the following statement has been released by President Trump:

(VIA Truth Social) – During the four years of Crooked Joe Biden and Democrat failed leadership, Tens of Millions of Illegal Alien Criminals poured into our Country, including Hundreds of Thousands of Convicted Murderers, Rapists, Kidnappers, Drug Dealers, and Terrorists.

I won the Election in a Historic Landslide, and Republicans won Majorities in both the House and Senate, in large part, because we pledged to SEAL THE BORDER, which we have done, and launch the largest Mass Deportation of Illegal Alien Criminals in American History. This Deportation effort is underway, andin Republican run Cities and States, these operations are going peacefully and smoothly, because Local Law Enforcement Officers are allowed to work with their federal counterparts.

For example, in the five Republican run States of Texas, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Louisiana, ICE has arrested 150,245 Criminal Illegal Aliens over the past year — with ZERO protests, riots, or chaos.Why? Because Local Police and ICE are cooperating and working together.

Meanwhile, Democrat run Sanctuary Cities and States are REFUSING to cooperate with ICE, and they are actually encouraging Leftwing Agitators to unlawfully obstruct their operations to arrest the Worst of the Worst People!

By doing this,Democrats are putting Illegal Alien Criminals over Taxpaying, Law-Abiding Citizens, and they have created dangerous circumstances for EVERYONE involved. Tragically, two American Citizens have lost their lives as a result of this Democrat ensued chaos.

That is why I am hereby calling on Governor Walz, Mayor Frey, and EVERY Democrat Governor and Mayor in the United States of America to formally cooperate with the Trump Administrationto enforce our Nation’s Laws, rather than resist and stoke the flames of Division, Chaos, and Violence:

1. Governor Walz and Mayor Frey should turn over all Criminal Illegal Aliens that are currently incarcerated in their State Prisons and Jails to Federal Authorities, along with all Illegal Criminals with an active warrant or known Criminal History, for Immediate Deportation.

1. State and Local Law Enforcement must agree to turn over all Illegal Aliens arrested by Local Police.

1. Local Police must assist Federal Law Enforcement in apprehending and detaining Illegal Aliens who are wanted for Crimes.

4.Democrat Politicians must partner with the Federal Government to protect American Citizens in the rapid removal of all Criminal Illegal Aliensin our Country. Some Democrats, in places like Memphis, Tennessee, or Washington, D.C., have done so, resulting in safer streets for ALL.

In addition, I am hereby calling on the United States Congress to immediately pass Legislation to END Sanctuary Cities, which is the root cause of all of these problems. American Cities should be Safe Sanctuaries for Law Abiding American Citizens ONLY, not Illegal Alien Criminals who broke our Nation’s Laws.

All of these requests are rooted in COMMON SENSE, and will provide the best possible circumstances to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! The Trump Administration is standing by and waiting for ANY Democrat to do the right thing, and work with us on these important matters of MAKING AMERICA SAFE like it is in all sections of our Country where we are, together with Local Leadership, participating and involved.

DONALD J. TRUMP, President of The United States of America

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2026/01/25/president-donald-trump-releases-a-statement-on-minnesota-chaos/

>>24174323

Eleanor Holmes Norton, Washington’s nonvoting delegate to the House for more than three decades, will not seek a 19th term in office.

Norton’s campaign on Sunday filed a termination notice with the Federal Election Commission, essentially signaling an end to her campaign. She can still file for reelection in the future.

Norton’s spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. ==NOTUS first reported on the termination filing.

Norton, 88, has faced mounting questions about her ability to serve in office as she retreated from most public appearances and showed unmistakable signs of frailty when she did speak==.

Her fitness came under particular scrutiny last summer when she remained largely out of sight as President Donald Trump announced a move to surge National Guard and federal law enforcement into Washington and take over its police department against the will of city leaders.

While Norton insisted for months afterward she would in fact run again, reelection appeared increasingly untenable. Prominent Democratic strategist Donna Brazile, her former top aide, publicly called on her to retire, and Norton raised scant funds for her campaign.

What is already a crowded field of challengers to the longtime delegate could balloon even further. The election is likely to be decided in the Democratic primary election in a city that hasn’t given a Republican presidential nominee more than 10 percent of the vote since 1988.

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/25/eleanor-holmes-norton-retires-dc-delegate-00731986?cid=apn

Megyn Kelly:Liars Like Kamala Harris and Biden's Comms Hack Finally Called Out For Their Cognitive Decline Spin

Fantastic really! The English Women was great! two months ago Kamala did an interview with a British interviewer and she stopped Kamala deflecting from the questions “of Joe’s frailty”, and Kamala changing it to Trump!

11:49

https://youtu.be/-_BztjosYzg

>>24174759

Megyn Kelly:Liars Like Kamala Harris and Biden's Comms Hack Finally Called Out For Their Cognitive Decline Spin

Fantastic really! The English Women was great! two months ago Kamala did an interview with a British interviewer and she stopped Kamala deflecting from the questions“of Joe’s frailty”, and Kamala changing it to Trump!

11:49

https://youtu.be/-_BztjosYzg

Billionaires flee CA ‘within seven days’ over proposed wealth tax: Inside the Miami migration. Newscum Fucking up Calfornia even more

The Corcoran Group agent Julian Johnston exclusively speaks to Fox News Digital about the new wave of California billionaires migrating to South Florida due to a proposed wealth tax.

3:15

https://youtu.be/lxP2wFBC6YQ

>>24174898

This is funny, the billionaires are moving out of CA and down to Miami. So Newscum freaked out and said he wouldnt sign the Billionaire tax but many (mostly Trump friends and others) are still moving. CA is losing their billionaires not only for taxes, but many of the rich are sick of watching the homeless sleeping, shitting and dying on the streets, the crime, drugs etc from LA, San Fran and other cities. Newsom will never be elected President.

I could imagine CA starts turning more conservative. Stealing from the rich to give to Newsom’s buddy’s that are billionaires is not that popular. Plus DC have already found huge amount of federal funds theft but more than MN, in CA.

This is fantastic!

'HUGE BREAKTHROUGHS': NVIDIA CEO reveals future of AI

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang discusses how artificial intelligence is advancing and handling competition with China on 'Maria Bartiromo's Wall Stree

4:19

https://youtu.be/oa7FWO8i7kk

Carney says Canada has no plans to pursue free trade agreement with China as Trump threatens tariffs

TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Sunday his country has no intention of pursuing a free trade deal with China. He was responding to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a 100% tariff on goods imported from Canada if America’s northern neighbor went ahead with a trade deal with Beijing.

Carney said his recent agreement with China merely cuts tariffs on a few sectors that were recently hit with tariffs.

Trump claims otherwise, posting that “China is successfully and completely taking over the once Great Country of Canada. So sad to see it happen. I only hope they leave Ice Hockey alone! President DJT”

The prime minister said under the free trade agreement with the U.S. and Mexico there are commitments not to pursue free trade agreements with nonmarket economies without prior notification.

“We have no intention of doing that with China or any other nonmarket economy,” Carney said. “What we have done with China is to rectify some issues that developed in the last couple of years.”

In 2024, Canada mirrored the United States by putting a 100% tariff on electric vehicles from Beijing and a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum. China had responded by imposing 100% import taxes on Canadian canola oil and meal and 25% on pork and seafood.

Breaking with the United States this month during a visit to China, Carney cut its 100% tariff on Chinese electric cars in return for lower tariffs on those Canadian products.

https://apnews.com/article/carney-trump-trade-canada-united-states-china-11175a5c513730d8a894bdabe70b8c01

Chinas cheap cars are nicknamed spy cars, because they are filled with chips that can listen to everything, track and listen to the people, and a cheap way to pay taxes by climate change bullshit. Europe has already bought them. A piece of shit car that has many surprising facets beneficial to China. Hos stupid are these world leaders???