Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) made clear Wednesday that his presidential ambitions have not faded, speaking just days after saying Republicans are not ready to simply rally behind Vice President JD Vance as President Trump’s heir apparent for 2028.
“It’s no secret that I want to be president,” Cruz said in an interview on Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s podcast.
Patrick, the Republican host known as “Lt. Dan,” asked Cruz — who sought the GOP nomination in 2016 — whether he intends to make another run. Cruz answered, “Time will tell.”
“I will say, this is a bug that history has proved is rarely ended,” Cruz said of his interest in the White House. “It is a permanent and often fatal bug.”
His comments followed an interview Monday with MS NOW host Ali Vitali, during which Cruz said the Republican Party has not settled on Vance as its 2028 presidential nominee.
“Oh, no – there is going to be a full discussion about who we are and what we believe,” Cruz said.
“I’ll certainly be part of the discussion,” he added.
Cruz said Republicans must have a robust debate over foreign policy before the next presidential race, including whether the party wants to become “an isolationist party that withdraws from the world” or continue to support “American leadership.”
On economics, Cruz contends the party must decide whether it aims to be “a small-government, free-market conservative party” or a “big-government, nanny-state party.”
Vance, who has repeatedly described himself as a skeptic of foreign military intervention, is viewed by many as the favorite to take the mantle from Trump in 2028.
The vice president has said he won’t decide on whether he’ll run to succeed Trump until after the midterm elections.
Trump has also floated Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a potential part of the GOP’s 2028 presidential ticket.
Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whose term ends in January, is also believed to have interest in making another run at the White House.
