As Texas prepares for a rare and dangerous winter storm, US Senator Ted Cruz found himself at the centre of fresh controversy after a photo surfaced showing him on a plane reportedly headed to Laguna Beach, California.
The image, shared widely on social media by political strategist Shea Jordan Smith, claimed to show Cruz aboard a flight on January 20 as the state braced for an arctic cold front and potential ice and snow.
The photo quickly went viral, amassing millions of views and reigniting public scrutiny over Cruz’s actions during weather emergencies.
Netizens bring up Cruz’s past trip to Cancun
Netizens coined the term ‘Fled Cruz’, with one user writing “You have to admire the consistency from @tedcruz. When there’s a crisis in Texas, he sprints out of town.”
Another said Cruz’s movements were like “clockwork”, while a third user wrote “Here we go again”
Here we go again… https://t.co/r9lZe6cNge
— Kaivan Shroff (@KaivanShroff) January 21, 2026
Many netizens drew direct comparisons to his widely criticised 2021 ‘Cancun Cruz’ trip, when he flew to Mexico amid a catastrophic winter storm that caused widespread power outages and left millions of Texans without heat or water, an episode that severely damaged his public image, according to Chron.
That 2021 winter storm was linked to massive infrastructure failures and dozens of deaths.
Cruz issues statement
In response to the viral image, Cruz’s office told the Daily Beast, “Senator Cruz is currently on pre-planned work travel that was scheduled weeks in advance. He will be back in Texas before the storm is projected to hit.”
“My team and I are monitoring the incoming cold front that could bring snow, ice, and disruptive weather conditions to parts of the Lone Star State later this week. You can stay up-to-date by following @TDEM and @NWS to keep you and your loved ones safe and warm,” Cruz also wrote on X.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has declared a state of emergency for Texans ahead of the ice storm.