Sen. Ted Cruz Returns to Texas After Plane Photo Sparks Backlash
Sen. Ted Cruz returned to Texas on Jan. 23, 2026, after a photo of him boarding a plane circulated as a major winter storm approached.
Overview
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, returned to Texas on Jan. 23, 2026, after a photo posted Jan. 20, 2026, showed him boarding a plane as forecasts warned of a major winter storm, his office confirmed.
The image reignited criticism tied to Cruz's 2021 trip to Cancún during a deadly Texas winter storm that the Texas Department of State Health Services recorded as causing 246 deaths, raising questions about officials' travel during emergencies.
Cruz posted on X on Jan. 23, 2026, saying he had 'returned home from my work trip,' and a spokesperson told local reporters the travel was pre-planned and that he would be back before the storm arrived.
Weather forecasters warned the storm could affect about 235 million people across 40 states, prompting multiple state emergency declarations and stepped-up preparations by local emergency managers, officials said.
Cruz's office said he will remain in Texas through the storm, while critics revived nicknames like 'Cancún Cruz' and urged accountability, marking the episode with conflicting accounts between his office and detractors.
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FAQ
In 2021, Ted Cruz traveled to Cancún, Mexico, with his family for a vacation during a deadly Texas winter storm that caused 246 deaths, leading to widespread criticism for abandoning his constituents.
History
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