Sen. Ted Cruz pushed back this week against critics who seized on an image showing him aboard a flight to California just days before Texas is expected to be hit by a major winter storm, calling the outrage misplaced and misleading.
The criticism began after political strategist Shea Jordan Smith posted on X that Cruz had been spotted on a plane heading to Laguna Beach on January 20, 2026, as Texas prepared for what forecasters described as a rare ice threat and an incoming arctic cold front. The post included a photo of Cruz on the plane and quickly gained traction online, racking up more than eight million views by Thursday.
Cruz’s office responded by explaining that the senator was on a pre-planned work trip that had been scheduled weeks in advance and emphasized that he would be back in Texas before the storm is expected to hit. A spokesperson for the senator said the timing of the trip had been mischaracterized and rejected claims that Cruz was abandoning the state ahead of severe weather.
“Senator Cruz is currently on pre-planned work travel that was scheduled weeks in advance,” the spokesperson said in a statement shared with KHOU. “He will be back in Texas before the storm is projected to hit.”
Despite that clarification, critics were quick to draw comparisons to a moment from Cruz’s past that went viral nationwide. In February 2021, the senator faced intense backlash after traveling to Cancun, Mexico, while Texas was struggling through the deadly Winter Storm Uri, which left millions without power and caused widespread hardship.
At the time, Cruz cut his trip short and returned to Texas, later acknowledging that the decision to travel had been a mistake. He said he should have stayed in the state as Texans dealt with the crisis.
“It was obviously a mistake, and in hindsight, I wouldn’t have done it,” Cruz said then.
That episode has lingered in the public consciousness, and critics have repeatedly resurrected it whenever the senator’s travel coincides with severe weather back home. Supporters argue that the latest criticism ignores the key differences between the two situations, including the fact that the current trip was scheduled well in advance and that Cruz is set to return before the storm arrives.
The winter system approaching Texas is expected to be significant. Forecasters say the storm could eventually stretch across roughly 2,000 miles, beginning in Texas and Oklahoma before moving eastward. Heavy snowfall and freezing rain are expected to start Friday, with northern Texas likely to be among the first areas impacted. Major cities including Dallas and Houston are expected to feel the effects as the system develops.
As the storm approaches, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has declared a state of emergency to ensure resources are in place ahead of the harsh weather. Abbott said the state is acting based on current forecasts to prepare communities and protect residents.
“Based on current forecasts, the State of Texas is acting to ensure Texans have the resources they need before severe winter weather impacts communities across Texas,” Abbott said in a statement. He also thanked emergency management personnel and first responders for working to keep Texans safe.
As Texas braces for the incoming storm, Cruz’s office has maintained that the senator’s travel plans do not interfere with his responsibilities and that he will be back in the state as conditions worsen.
