Senator Ted Cruz joined Joe Pags for a powerful and no-nonsense interview, diving headfirst into the dangerous rise of political violence, the corruption of federal institutions, and how conservatives can reclaim common sense in America. The conversation opened with a serious topic: swatting. After Pags shared his own harrowing experience being swatted by seven armed sheriff’s deputies in the middle of the night, Cruz didn’t mince words. “It is incredibly dangerous… they are gambling with your life,” he said, calling it “unquestionably a form of domestic terrorism and should be prosecuted as such.”
Cruz tied these attacks to the broader trend of violence targeting conservatives, including the recent vandalism of Teslas and even the cheering of a healthcare executive’s murder. “The left is angry,” he said. “It is sick and it is wrong.” He emphasized that while this isn’t just happening in Texas, it’s spreading across the country as left-wing radicals are emboldened. “They think the ends justify the means,” Cruz warned, slamming those who celebrate destruction. When Pags asked whether this was a push for anarchy or a lack of arguments, Cruz was blunt: “They want power, they hate democracy.”
Switching gears, Cruz laid out his strong support for shutting down the Department of Education, calling it “absolutely the right thing to do.” He explained that the core focus of education should be students—not what he described as “the crazy left-wing agenda they’re trying to force on your sons and daughters.” Cruz criticized the push for radical sex education and gender ideology in schools, calling sex change surgeries for minors “child abuse” and saying the entire agenda is “out of touch with common sense.”
Cruz also made a strong case for school choice, calling it “the key to the American dream.” He argued that the left opposes it for one simple reason: “It’s not complicated—it’s money,” pointing to the powerful influence teachers’ unions have over public education. Cruz praised a new Texas bill that would create education savings accounts for military families, providing $6,000 per child to help with schooling options. “The rich have always had school choice,” he said. “Every child in Texas has a right to excellent education.”
On tariffs, Cruz backed President Trump’s strategy, even though he’s not normally a supporter of tariffs. He explained that in this case, they’re being used as a tool to pressure other countries. “I emphatically support this,” he said about using tariffs to help close the border. Still, he reminded listeners that “a tariff is, at the end of the day, a tax,” and said he hopes it’s only used for leverage. Cruz believes American businesses—especially in Texas—can compete globally if given a fair playing field.
As the left continues to radicalize and federal institutions drag their feet, Senator Cruz made it clear: the fight for America’s future is on, and he’s not backing down. Listen to the full interview for the complete, unfiltered conversation.