“F**k you Ted”: Leaked audio reveals Ted Cruz’s argument with Trump over Tariffs

• In leaked 2025 audio reported by Axios, US Senator Ted Cruz warned President Trump that his "Liberation Day" tariffs could trigger an economic "bloodbath" and lead to a 2026 midterm defeat and weekly impeachments. Trump reportedly responded to Cruz’s advice with a blunt, "F**k you, Ted."
• Cruz described Vice President J.D. Vance as the "protégé" of Tucker Carlson, accusing the duo of orchestrating the ousting of National Security Adviser Mike Waltz over his hawkish stance on Iran and attempting to install "Israel-hating" personnel in senior intelligence roles.

Newly revealed secret audio recordings have captured Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz expressing sharp criticisms of President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance during private discussions with donors in 2025.

The recordings, obtained and reported by Axios, highlight internal tensions within the Republican Party over economic policies and personnel decisions, offering insight into potential fractures.

The audio, totaling approximately 10 minutes, stems from two separate donor meetings held in early and mid-2025.

In these sessions, Cruz positioned himself as an advocate for traditional free-trade principles and a more interventionist foreign policy, contrasting with certain administration stances.

He warned that Trump's tariff policies could “decimate the economy and lead to his impeachment,” according to the recordings by Axios.

Cruz recounted a late-night phone call with Trump in early April 2025, shortly after the president introduced tariffs branded as "Liberation Day."

During the conversation, which Cruz described as tense and extending past midnight, he and other senators urged Trump to reconsider the measures.

Cruz directly told the president: "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 reportedly responded: "F**k you, Ted."

Cruz described Trump's demeanor as agitated, noting, "Trump was in a bad mood... I've been in conversations where he was very happy. This was not one of them."

Regarding the tariffs' branding, Cruz jokingly informed donors that he had instructed his staff: "I've told my team if anyone uses those words ['Liberation Day'], they will be terminated on the spot. That is not language we use."

He also discussed challenges in advancing a trade agreement with India, describing ongoing "battles" with the White House, including resistance from economic adviser Peter Navarro, Vice President Vance, and "sometimes" Trump himself.

Cruz's remarks extended to Vice President Vance, whom he closely linked to conservative commentator Tucker Carlson.

He stated: "Tucker created JD. JD is Tucker's protégé, and they are one and the same."

Cruz accused Vance and Carlson of influencing key personnel decisions, including the ousting of former national security adviser Mike Waltz for his support of military action against Iran.

"Waltz supported being vigorous against Iran and bombing Iran — and Tucker and JD took Mike out," Cruz alleged.

Additionally, he claimed they backed the initial appointment of Army veteran Daniel Davis, a critic of US support for ‘Israel’, to a senior intelligence role, describing Davis as "a guy who viciously hates Israel" and crediting himself with helping to block the nomination.

The revelations have sparked discussions within Republican circles, with some viewing them as early positioning for a potential 2028 presidential bid by Cruz.

A spokesperson for Senator Cruz defended his actions, stating: "The senator is 'the president's greatest ally in 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.”

“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.”

Tucker Carlson, for his part, denied any involvement in the personnel matters, telling Axios he "didn't have anything to do" with Waltz's ousting or Davis's hiring.