Senator Ted Cruz

Look, I think on energy, we ought to pursue all of the above. Beyond that, I think there is also a mandate on the economic side. The 2017 Trump tax cuts are expiring this year. We're going to extend them. My hope is we make them bigger and bolder. That's going to take some time. We'll do that through what's called the reconciliation process. And then on foreign policy.

I think under Biden, we have abandoned and alienated our friends and we've shown weakness and appeasement to our enemies. I think that will stop. on Monday as well.

I think under Biden, we have abandoned and alienated our friends and we've shown weakness and appeasement to our enemies. I think that will stop. on Monday as well.

And I'm happy to answer that directly. Let me just say one thing you just said there with respect is incorrect.

And I'm happy to answer that directly. Let me just say one thing you just said there with respect is incorrect.

You said there's no way we're cutting taxes and not cutting spending and having inflation stay down. And I just say that's objectively false because that's exactly what happened in the first Trump term. which is the 2017 tax cuts. CBO had these apocalyptic projections.

You said there's no way we're cutting taxes and not cutting spending and having inflation stay down. And I just say that's objectively false because that's exactly what happened in the first Trump term. which is the 2017 tax cuts. CBO had these apocalyptic projections.

Tax revenue went up every single year. After we cut the taxes, the revenue from the federal government went up. So we cut taxes. Sadly, we did not cut spending. I tried mightily to cut spending, but we did not have the votes to do it, and inflation still stayed down. So if the economy is booming, you can turn things around.

Tax revenue went up every single year. After we cut the taxes, the revenue from the federal government went up. So we cut taxes. Sadly, we did not cut spending. I tried mightily to cut spending, but we did not have the votes to do it, and inflation still stayed down. So if the economy is booming, you can turn things around.

So I am excited about Doge. Elon is a good friend. I admire the hell out of him. I'm thrilled that he's a Texan. You know, I've joked with Elon that he doesn't just think outside the box. He doesn't know there is a damn box. That's a great thing. Now, Elon calls me periodically going, all right, what the hell is this government thing? How does this work this way?

So I am excited about Doge. Elon is a good friend. I admire the hell out of him. I'm thrilled that he's a Texan. You know, I've joked with Elon that he doesn't just think outside the box. He doesn't know there is a damn box. That's a great thing. Now, Elon calls me periodically going, all right, what the hell is this government thing? How does this work this way?

And I'm trying to give whatever guidance I can on that. But I think how you deal with a disruptor in government is going to be an interesting challenge. Vivek is very smart, very creative. I will say a couple of challenges. Right now, look, I'm excited about Doge. I want to see some big, bold, creative ideas. I'm going to give you two warning signs. Number one, the phrase waste, fraud, and abuse.

And I'm trying to give whatever guidance I can on that. But I think how you deal with a disruptor in government is going to be an interesting challenge. Vivek is very smart, very creative. I will say a couple of challenges. Right now, look, I'm excited about Doge. I want to see some big, bold, creative ideas. I'm going to give you two warning signs. Number one, the phrase waste, fraud, and abuse.

Anytime someone talks about waste, fraud, and abuse, they don't really want to cut government spending. You know why? Because there is no waste, fraud, and abuse caucus. There's no one that says, I'm for the waste. So it's the easy place to go. We'll cut the waste.

Anytime someone talks about waste, fraud, and abuse, they don't really want to cut government spending. You know why? Because there is no waste, fraud, and abuse caucus. There's no one that says, I'm for the waste. So it's the easy place to go. We'll cut the waste.

If you actually cut real government spending, there is always, always, always a constituency who's pissed off, who likes the thing they're getting.

If you actually cut real government spending, there is always, always, always a constituency who's pissed off, who likes the thing they're getting.

And so you have lots of politicians that are going to lose. They're going to lose their votes. Right. Somebody will be mad. That's right. And so that is a challenge. I will say, secondly, at least in the first term, Donald Trump did not campaign as a small government conservative and he did not govern as a small government conservative. And in fact, I will relay a story.

And so you have lots of politicians that are going to lose. They're going to lose their votes. Right. Somebody will be mad. That's right. And so that is a challenge. I will say, secondly, at least in the first term, Donald Trump did not campaign as a small government conservative and he did not govern as a small government conservative. And in fact, I will relay a story.

At the end of the first term, you remember we're in COVID and the government is in the business of sending out checks and more checks and more checks to people all over the country. And Trump wanted the checks to be even bigger. And a lot of the folks in the White House, they asked me, they said, Ted, can you go try to talk him down from this lunch?