Cruz Praises Trump's 'Instinctual Genius' Behind 'Lyin' Ted' Attack

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is opening up about his unlikely political partnership with President Donald Trump, revealing how the president's infamous 'Lyin' Ted' nickname from the 2016 primary actually forged their alliance.

In a candid interview on the New York Post podcast 'Pod Force One,' Cruz told host Miranda Devine that Trump's attack was politically brilliant, even though it targeted his greatest strength as a candidate.

What Cruz said about Trump's 'Lyin' Ted' nickname

'Oh, yeah. Which I will admit was politically very effective,' Cruz said when asked about the insult. 'Look, the man has an instinctual genius.'

Cruz explained that his reputation for honesty was his biggest asset with voters, making it the perfect target for Trump's political strategy.

'My single strongest attribute was that the voters trusted me,' Cruz said. 'That they trusted that I said what I believed and did what I said.'

'And so the jiu-jitsu of Trump was to take my greatest strength and make an attack that goes right at it,' he added. 'And I think he does that instinctually, in a very effective way.'

How the 2016 rivals became allies

Cruz, who won 12 states in the 2016 primary and was the only Republican to beat Trump more than once, said the brutal campaign created mutual respect between the two men.

'He and I stood in the arena and I punched him in the face as hard as I could,' Cruz said. 'And he punched me in the face as hard as he could. And we kept on going.'

The Texas senator said Trump respects strength, not weakness.

'I don't think he respects girly men,' Cruz said. 'He doesn't respect people who are weak. He respects people who have strength. The guy's got a cast-iron backbone. It's the single best attribute, that he does not wilt from a fight.'

Cruz's decision to work with Trump after the election

After Trump won the White House in November 2016, Cruz faced a choice: hold a grudge or get to work.

'I could have chosen to be pissed off, to say I'm mad, my feelings are hurt, and I'm going to take my ball and go home,' Cruz said. 'If I was going to do that, Miranda, I better be prepared to resign from the Senate, because there's no way I could represent 32 million Texans if I was going to put my own hurt feelings ahead of the interest of Texans.'

Instead, Cruz flew to New York the week after the election and spent four and a half hours at Trump Tower with the president-elect and his senior team.

'I want to roll up my sleeves and do everything I can to lead the fight for us to deliver on our promises,' Cruz said he told Trump. 'And that's exactly what I did.'

Trump offered Cruz top administration jobs

Cruz revealed that Trump offered him the Department of Homeland Security and spent 30 to 40 minutes trying to persuade him to join the Supreme Court. Cruz declined both, making what he called a 'half-hearted run' at attorney general instead.

'I don't want to be a judge,' Cruz said. 'I want to be in the arena. I want to be in the political fight.'

Cruz defends Trump on 9/11 claim

The interview comes just a week after Cruz defended Trump's claim that he was carried away from Ground Zero by firefighters after the 9/11 attacks.

'You could doubt whatever you want about Donald Trump, but the man is a New Yorker. He loves New York, and I have every doubt that what he's conveying there is what he experienced,' Cruz told CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins.

Fact-checkers at PolitiFact have found no evidence supporting Trump's claim that he sent hundreds of workers to help with the recovery, noting that the earliest photograph or video of him near Ground Zero is dated Sept. 13, 2001.

Cruz said he has been Trump's 'strongest ally' for more than a decade, a relationship that has proven crucial for conservative priorities in Washington.

What this means for Iowa Republicans

For Iowa voters who remember Cruz's 2016 victory in the state's caucuses, this relationship demonstrates how political rivals can unite behind shared conservative goals. The Trump-Cruz alliance has been instrumental in advancing border security, tax reform, and judicial appointments, priorities that resonate strongly with Iowa's Republican base.