Cruz now says tariffs made 'everything too expensive.' He voted five times to keep them

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas now says President Trump's tariffs helped sink his party. In a post on X after the midterm election, the Texas Republican wrote that tariffs have made "everything too expensive" and that voters had reason to be angry ¹².

When Cruz had the chance to roll those tariffs back, he voted to keep them. In 2025 he voted against all five Senate resolutions that tried to repeal the president's tariffs, including ones on goods from Canada, Brazil and dozens of other countries, CNN reported ¹. The official Senate roll call shows his "Nay" on the last of them, on Oct. 30, 2025 ⁵.

Tariffs have made everything too expensive, and the Iran war has dragged on too long

What he said then

The record goes back to April 2025, right after Trump announced sweeping new tariffs. On April 4, 2025, on his podcast Verdict, Cruz called them "the biggest tax increase we have seen in a long, long time" ³.

In a Fox Business interview reported around the same time, he said, "Tariffs are a tax on consumers, and I'm not a fan of jacking up taxes on American consumers." He added that he hoped the tariffs would be "short-lived" and would serve as leverage to lower tariffs around the world ⁴.

From Channel GOPJeffries says Trump's 16-seat gerrymander plan failedHakeem Jeffries · 295 plays · captioned, with the source named

He also predicted what could happen to Republicans at the polls if the tariffs hurt the economy ³⁴.

If we go into a recession, particularly a bad recession, 2026, in all likelihood politically, would be a bloodbath.

What he did

Congress has a way to undo tariffs that a president imposes under a declared national emergency: it can pass a resolution ending the emergency. In April 2025, a Senate measure to undo Trump's global tariffs failed on a 49-49 tie ⁶.

In late October 2025, the Senate tried again and passed three such resolutions in one week, covering tariffs on Brazil, on Canada and on goods from around the world ⁶. The global measure passed 51 to 47 on Oct. 30. Four Republicans voted yes: Susan Collins of Maine, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky. Cruz voted no ⁵.

Democrats argued at the time that the tariffs were hurting the country. "The way that the president has imposed the tariffs is leading to nothing but chaos," said Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat ⁶. Republican Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, answered that "The president's negotiations are bearing fruit" ⁶.

What he says now

Then came the midterm vote. In Texas, Democrats won every statewide race, according to Time. James Talarico became the first Democrat Texas has sent to the Senate since 1988, and Gina Hinojosa defeated Gov. Greg Abbott ². Cruz, who was not on the ballot, is now the last Republican holding statewide office in Texas ².

In his post-election statement, Cruz also blamed the Iran war. He wrote that elected Republicans "didn't do enough to address their very real pain" ¹². Voters around the country felt the same way. In CNN's Voter Poll, two-thirds said Trump's tariffs had hurt the national economy ¹.

That matters because Cruz is one of those elected Republicans. He had five chances in 2025 to vote against the tariffs he once called a tax on consumers, and he took none of them ¹⁴.

What comes next

Democrats take control of Congress in January. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, the expected next speaker, said right after the election that repealing Trump's tariffs should be a top priority in Democrats' first 100 days, starting with the tariffs on Canada ¹. Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on trade, issued a challenge to Republicans ¹.

If not, it will be crystal clear whose side Republicans are on

The numbers are hard. Congress can repeal tariffs with a simple majority, but it takes two-thirds of both chambers to override a veto. Democrats and their allies will hold 55 of 100 Senate seats and 255 of 435 House seats. To override, they would need at least 12 Senate Republicans and 35 House Republicans to join them ¹. Before the election, Trump said, "I'll become Mr. Veto" ¹.

The White House says it will not back down. In a statement to CNN, spokesman Matthew Middleton said, "President Trump will never waver from putting Americans and America First" ¹. House Speaker Mike Johnson told CNN that Trump "can veto these things if they come to it" ¹.

Some Republicans are breaking ranks. Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, who is retiring, was one of six House Republicans who joined Democrats in February to vote to repeal the tariffs on Canada. "Trump's tariffs killed the GOP this election," he told CNN ¹. Republican strategist Brian Darling said the party must "take a second look at their position on tariffs" ¹.

The pattern is a familiar one: a warning in 2025, votes that went the other way, and regret after the election. The real test of Cruz's new position comes in 2027, when a tariff repeal could reach the Senate floor again and his vote will once more be on the record.

The Record

1. Apr 4, 2025On his podcast, Cruz calls the new tariffs 'the biggest tax increase we have seen in a long, long time' and warns 2026 could be a 'bloodbath' ³.
2. Oct 30, 2025The Senate passes S.J.Res. 88 to end Trump's global tariffs, 51-47. Cruz votes no, and four Republicans vote yes ⁵.
3. Nov 6, 2026Time reports Cruz's post-election statement that 'Tariffs have made everything too expensive' after Democrats sweep Texas statewide races ².
4. Nov 13, 2026CNN reports that Cruz voted against all five 2025 tariff repeal resolutions and that the White House says it will not waver ¹.

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<h2>Cruz now says tariffs made &#39;everything too expensive.&#39; He voted five times to keep them</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files Receipts Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/cruz-now-says-tariffs-made-everything-too-expensive-he-voted-five-times-to-keep">The GOP Files</a> on Friday, November 13, 2026.</em></p> <p>Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas now says President Trump&#39;s tariffs helped sink his party. In a post on X after the midterm election, the Texas Republican wrote that tariffs have made &quot;everything too expensive&quot; and that voters had reason to be angry .</p> <p>When Cruz had the chance to roll those tariffs back, he voted to keep them. In 2025 he voted against all five Senate resolutions that tried to repeal the president&#39;s tariffs, including ones on goods from Canada, Brazil and dozens of other countries, CNN reported . The official Senate roll call shows his &quot;Nay&quot; on the last of them, on Oct. 30, 2025 .</p> <blockquote><p>Tariffs have made everything too expensive, and the Iran war has dragged on too long</p><p>&mdash; Ted Cruz, U.S. senator, R-Texas</p></blockquote> <h2>What he said then</h2> <p>The record goes back to April 2025, right after Trump announced sweeping new tariffs. On April 4, 2025, on his podcast Verdict, Cruz called them &quot;the biggest tax increase we have seen in a long, long time&quot; .</p> <p>In a Fox Business interview reported around the same time, he said, &quot;Tariffs are a tax on consumers, and I&#39;m not a fan of jacking up taxes on American consumers.&quot; He added that he hoped the tariffs would be &quot;short-lived&quot; and would serve as leverage to lower tariffs around the world .</p> <p>He also predicted what could happen to Republicans at the polls if the tariffs hurt the economy .</p> <blockquote><p>If we go into a recession, particularly a bad recession, 2026, in all likelihood politically, would be a bloodbath.</p><p>&mdash; Ted Cruz, U.S. senator, R-Texas</p></blockquote> <h2>What he did</h2> <p>Congress has a way to undo tariffs that a president imposes under a declared national emergency: it can pass a resolution ending the emergency. In April 2025, a Senate measure to undo Trump&#39;s global tariffs failed on a 49-49 tie .</p> <p>In late October 2025, the Senate tried again and passed three such resolutions in one week, covering tariffs on Brazil, on Canada and on goods from around the world . The global measure passed 51 to 47 on Oct. 30. Four Republicans voted yes: Susan Collins of Maine, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky. Cruz voted no .</p> <p>Democrats argued at the time that the tariffs were hurting the country. &quot;The way that the president has imposed the tariffs is leading to nothing but chaos,&quot; said Sen. Tim Kaine, a Virginia Democrat . Republican Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, answered that &quot;The president&#39;s negotiations are bearing fruit&quot; .</p> <h2>What he says now</h2> <p>Then came the midterm vote. In Texas, Democrats won every statewide race, according to Time. James Talarico became the first Democrat Texas has sent to the Senate since 1988, and Gina Hinojosa defeated Gov. Greg Abbott . Cruz, who was not on the ballot, is now the last Republican holding statewide office in Texas .</p> <p>In his post-election statement, Cruz also blamed the Iran war. He wrote that elected Republicans &quot;didn&#39;t do enough to address their very real pain&quot; . Voters around the country felt the same way. In CNN&#39;s Voter Poll, two-thirds said Trump&#39;s tariffs had hurt the national economy .</p> <p>That matters because Cruz is one of those elected Republicans. He had five chances in 2025 to vote against the tariffs he once called a tax on consumers, and he took none of them .</p> <h2>What comes next</h2> <p>Democrats take control of Congress in January. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, the expected next speaker, said right after the election that repealing Trump&#39;s tariffs should be a top priority in Democrats&#39; first 100 days, starting with the tariffs on Canada . Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on trade, issued a challenge to Republicans .</p> <blockquote><p>If not, it will be crystal clear whose side Republicans are on</p><p>&mdash; Ron Wyden, U.S. senator, D-Oregon</p></blockquote> <p>The numbers are hard. Congress can repeal tariffs with a simple majority, but it takes two-thirds of both chambers to override a veto. Democrats and their allies will hold 55 of 100 Senate seats and 255 of 435 House seats. To override, they would need at least 12 Senate Republicans and 35 House Republicans to join them . Before the election, Trump said, &quot;I&#39;ll become Mr. Veto&quot; .</p> <p>The White House says it will not back down. In a statement to CNN, spokesman Matthew Middleton said, &quot;President Trump will never waver from putting Americans and America First&quot; . House Speaker Mike Johnson told CNN that Trump &quot;can veto these things if they come to it&quot; .</p> <p>Some Republicans are breaking ranks. Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, who is retiring, was one of six House Republicans who joined Democrats in February to vote to repeal the tariffs on Canada. &quot;Trump&#39;s tariffs killed the GOP this election,&quot; he told CNN . Republican strategist Brian Darling said the party must &quot;take a second look at their position on tariffs&quot; .</p> <p>The pattern is a familiar one: a warning in 2025, votes that went the other way, and regret after the election. The real test of Cruz&#39;s new position comes in 2027, when a tariff repeal could reach the Senate floor again and his vote will once more be on the record.</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/cruz-now-says-tariffs-made-everything-too-expensive-he-voted-five-times-to-keep">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/cruz-now-says-tariffs-made-everything-too-expensive-he-voted-five-times-to-keep.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

1. CNN (via Yahoo News), “Trump's tariffs face a new threat: Republicans” (2026-11-13). yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/trump-tariffs-face-threat-r
2. Time, “Ted Cruz Is Texas' Only Remaining Statewide Republican Lawmaker” (2026-11-06). time.com/article/2026/11/06/ted-cruz-republican-texas-midter
3. Political Wire, “Ted Cruz predicts bloodbath for GOP if tariff gambit fails” (2025-04-04). politicalwire.com/2025/04/04/ted-cruz-predicts-bloodbath-for
4. ABC7 New York, “Republicans Ted Cruz, Rand Paul speak out on risks of Trump tariff policy” (2025-04-07). abc7ny.com/post/republicans-ted-cruz-rand-paul-speak-risks-p
5. U.S. Senate, “Roll Call Vote 119th Congress, 1st Session, Vote 600: S.J.Res. 88” (2025-10-30). senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119
6. NPR (via KPBS), “4 GOP senators join Democrats to rebuke Trump on tariffs for a third time this week” (2025-10-30). kpbs.org/news/politics/2025/10/30/4-gop-senators-join-democr

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