Fresh tensions from within the Donald Trump administration have come to light following the release of an audio recording in which US Senator Ted Cruz criticised top officials for hindering a potential trade agreement with India. The remarks, reported by Axios, highlight disputes over tariff-driven trade policies and reveal how senior figures allegedly stalled negotiations.
The recording, nearly ten minutes long, features the Texas Republican speaking candidly to private donors during a series of meetings held in early and mid-2025. In the discussion, Cruz asserted that opposition from Vice President JD Vance, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro and, at times, President Trump himself, repeatedly blocked efforts to advance the deal.
Cruz, who has cultivated a pro-free-trade image within the Republican Party, told donors he had “battled” the administration to keep the agreement on track. When asked who was responsible for obstructing progress, he pointed to Navarro, Vance and “sometimes” the President.
Tariff Dispute Sparks Heated Exchanges
The audio reflects Cruz’s sharp critique of the administration’s tariff-first approach. He warned donors that sweeping import duties could inflict economic harm and carry political risks. Cruz also recounted a late-night conference call with Trump and several GOP senators shortly after tariffs were unveiled in April 2025, during which he and others urged the President to rethink the strategy.
According to Cruz, the conversation quickly escalated. “Trump was in a bad mood,” he told donors, describing the President as confrontational and noting that he “yelled” and used profanity. Cruz said he cautioned that lasting damage from the tariffs could translate into midterm election losses in 2026, citing pressure on everyday prices and retirement accounts. Trump, he claimed, dismissed the warnings with an expletive-laden retort. Cruz also mocked Trump’s branding of the tariff rollout as “Liberation Day,” joking that he instructed his team never to use the phrase.
Criticism Directed at Vance and Carlson Link
Much of Cruz’s ire in the recording was aimed at Vice President Vance. The senator portrayed Vance as ideologically aligned with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, whom Cruz has accused publicly of promoting antisemitic views and an isolationist worldview. “Tucker created JD. JD is Tucker’s protégé, and they are one and the same,” Cruz said, alleging that Vance was advancing Carlson’s anti-interventionist agenda.
Cruz has mounted an online offensive against Carlson in recent months, although he has largely refrained from publicly connecting those criticisms to Vance, who maintains a personal relationship with the podcaster.
