Senator Ted Cruz

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?

So I went on Air Force One, and I'm sitting there with the president. I'm trying to make the case that we don't need these gigantic stimulus checks. And he goes, Ted, and I get the back of the hand. He goes, Ted, no one ever lost an election by spending too much money. I said, yeah, but they did bankrupt the country. So I did not succeed then.

So I went on Air Force One, and I'm sitting there with the president. I'm trying to make the case that we don't need these gigantic stimulus checks. And he goes, Ted, and I get the back of the hand. He goes, Ted, no one ever lost an election by spending too much money. I said, yeah, but they did bankrupt the country. So I did not succeed then.

That's a good idea. Look, I'll go with it. He likes big.

That's a good idea. Look, I'll go with it. He likes big.

So look, it's a good question.

So look, it's a good question.

Yeah, listen, I am also a passionate advocate of term limits. So I have introduced in every Congress a constitutional amendment that would limit senators to two terms, limit House members to three terms. I think term limits would change that dynamic in a very significant way. Right. and the career politicians in both parties oppose it.

Yeah, listen, I am also a passionate advocate of term limits. So I have introduced in every Congress a constitutional amendment that would limit senators to two terms, limit House members to three terms. I think term limits would change that dynamic in a very significant way. Right. and the career politicians in both parties oppose it.

Look, on any big spending bill, you unfortunately have a bipartisan coalition in favor of spending. You have essentially all the Democrats and about half the Republicans. There are about 20 of us who will vote against a trillion dollar spending. And we are frequently begging our colleagues.

Look, on any big spending bill, you unfortunately have a bipartisan coalition in favor of spending. You have essentially all the Democrats and about half the Republicans. There are about 20 of us who will vote against a trillion dollar spending. And we are frequently begging our colleagues.

And to be honest, I don't think we will ever see real spending restraint without strong presidential leadership, which means it will never come from a Joe Biden or Kamala Harris. And look, if Elon and Vivek convinced President Trump that he's going to lean in aggressively on cutting spending, great. But that hadn't happened so far.

And to be honest, I don't think we will ever see real spending restraint without strong presidential leadership, which means it will never come from a Joe Biden or Kamala Harris. And look, if Elon and Vivek convinced President Trump that he's going to lean in aggressively on cutting spending, great. But that hadn't happened so far.

Yeah, look, it varies. It takes electing strong leaders. So I engage, elections matter, and I engage, so I think I've probably campaigned for more candidates for Senate, House, and governorship than any Republican in the country. I mean, I travel all over the country, I endorse candidates, and I follow the old Bill Buckley rule, which is I support the most conservative candidate who can win.

Yeah, look, it varies. It takes electing strong leaders. So I engage, elections matter, and I engage, so I think I've probably campaigned for more candidates for Senate, House, and governorship than any Republican in the country. I mean, I travel all over the country, I endorse candidates, and I follow the old Bill Buckley rule, which is I support the most conservative candidate who can win.

And that varies. Look, a candidate who can win in Texas is different than a candidate who can win in Maine.

And that varies. Look, a candidate who can win in Texas is different than a candidate who can win in Maine.

But I can say the problem is you get, I can tell you in Texas, I mean, when I ran, 2012, I ran for Senate. I'd never been elected before. Never been elected to nothing. Literally the last thing I was elected to was student council. By the way, Chamath, you may not remember this. You actually wrote me a check in that race.

But I can say the problem is you get, I can tell you in Texas, I mean, when I ran, 2012, I ran for Senate. I'd never been elected before. Never been elected to nothing. Literally the last thing I was elected to was student council. By the way, Chamath, you may not remember this. You actually wrote me a check in that race.

Look, my view on Denmark and Greenland, so I did a podcast two weeks ago on Denmark, Greenland, and Canada. And I did all three of them on my Verdict podcast. And I put them in a spectrum. Let's start with Canada. I think the President's Canada remarks were just trolling. I think he was just screwing with Trudeau.