Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) called Tucker Carlson a “deranged, leftist psycho” who “loves sharia” law after the right-wing pundit’s media network penned a newsletter condemning President Donald Trump for sharing an AI image of himself depicted as Jesus.
Cruz fumed in an X repost responding to an essay from Tucker Carlson Network, where it defended Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for condemning the image as a “desecration of Jesus, the prophet of peace and brotherhood.”
Carlson Network’s newsletter read, “The people in charge don’t want you to know this, but Muslims love Jesus.” Then it added that “Islam reveres” Christ “as a major prophet and messenger of the Lord.”
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) April 15, 2026
","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Ted Cruz","author_url":"https://twitter.com/tedcruz","cache_age":86400,"description":"Tucker has turned into a deranged, Leftist psycho. Who loves sharia. https://t.co/vD2FpFRYjB— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) April 15, 2026nnn","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Ted Cruz on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/2044280529562837469","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://www.huffpost.com","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isMobile":false,"isAdsFree":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"69e10906e4b09c81bf1693e5","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ted-cruz-tucker-carlson-leftist-psycho_n_69e10906e4b09c81bf1693e5","entryTagsList":"ted-cruz,tucker-carlson,catholic-church,iran-war,@us_huffpost_now","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"isShopping":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayer":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22","noAdsPlayer":"deeeda04-49cb-4a1d-ac6c-c388a685b58e","lifePagePlayer":"e1d799d2-2d81-4f27-bfa0-e6833a657659","nonLifePagePlayer":"6f2f7532-1bdc-4d9d-806b-8109a4010559","adLightDesktopPlayer":"014f5956-89c0-4fda-9201-b1c2b8232be5","adLightMobilePlayer":"b74a8200-8881-451a-b3ae-e3479c486eac"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/e21790d1-3183-4a24-a76d-a21a5bc1a1e2/1_th.jpg?crop=629:354,smart&width=629&height=354&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":8},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"69e10906e4b09c81bf1693e5","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Ted Cruz","slug":"ted-cruz","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/ted-cruz","permalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/ted-cruz","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/ted-cruz"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Ted Cruz","slug":"ted-cruz","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/news/topic/ted-cruz"},{"name":"tucker carlson","slug":"tucker-carlson","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/tucker-carlson","permalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/tucker-carlson","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/tucker-carlson"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Media","slug":"media"},"topic":{"title":"Tucker Carlson","slug":"tucker-carlson","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/news/topic/tucker-carlson"},{"name":"Catholic Church","slug":"catholic-church","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/catholic-church","permalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/catholic-church","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/catholic-church"},"section":{"title":"Religion","slug":"religion"},"topic":{"title":"Catholic Church","slug":"catholic-church","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/catholic-church"},{"name":"Iran war","slug":"iran-war","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/iran-war","permalink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/iran-war","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffpost.com/topic/iran-war"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"World News","slug":"world-news"},"topic":{"title":"Iran War","slug":"iran-war","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/news/topic/iran-war"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"backfillRelatedArticles":[{"editionId":"us","headline":"Tucker Carlson Rips Apart Ted Cruz’s Bible-Based Defense Of Israel","defaultImage":{"type":"hector","url":"https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/685325501900000c77247808.jpeg","queryParams":{"cache":"ZbR90n8Pyg"},"width":1600,"height":900,"credit":"Getty","ops":""},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tucker-carlson-ted-cruz-define-israel_n_6853187ce4b07c6cc415d440","dek":"The right-wing pundit’s clash with the senator comes as Republicans debate whether or not to dig deeper into conflict in the Middle East."},{"editionId":"us","headline":"’A Mockery Of Christianity’: Trump And Tucker Carlson Go At It In Angry Back-And-Forth","defaultImage":{"type":"hector","url":"https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/69d50ff61400009c4f86d54d.jpeg","queryParams":{},"width":2923,"height":1949,"credit":"via Associated Press","ops":"500_281"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tucker-carlson-trump-easter-message_n_69d4f5c9e4b06b69686c9fda","dek":"
The conservative pundit condemned Trump for a making a “mockery of Christianity” and said threats to harm Iran’s civilian population were “evil.”
"},{"editionId":"us","headline":"Tucker Carlson Tears Into Ted Cruz In The Most Gloriously Awkward Interview You’ll See","defaultImage":{"type":"hector","url":"https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/68522adc1900005b3b8813e0.jpeg","queryParams":{"cache":"7z5yUlTEfu"},"width":1080,"height":1080,"credit":"Getty/AP","ops":""},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tucker-carlson-ted-cruz_n_68521bdde4b038d013e2b23f","dek":"The right-wing media personality got into a shouting match with the Republican senator from Texas."},{"editionId":"us","headline":"Trump Posts Another Weird Jesus Photo","defaultImage":{"type":"hector","url":"https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/69df91ef1800006227a161ea.png","queryParams":{"cache":"uIsKiObfiC"},"width":824,"height":1210,"credit":"Truth Social/@realDonaldTrump","ops":"500_281"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-new-jesus-image_n_69df8f2ae4b0f26bda62f456","dek":"
The president said “radical left lunatics” might not like it.
"},{"editionId":"us","headline":"Cruz Says Other Republicans Are Scared To Criticize Tucker Carlson","defaultImage":{"type":"hector","url":"https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/690e844817000054129c4fc7.jpeg","queryParams":{"cache":"CSsatDPjKU"},"width":1600,"height":900,"credit":"Getty","ops":"500_281"},"url":"https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ted-cruz-tucker-carlson-nick-fuentes_n_690e5af7e4b0d142901f359d","dek":""Many of them are frightened because he has one hell of a big megaphone," the Texas senator observed."}],"signInUrl":"https://login.huffpost.com/login?dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Fted-cruz-tucker-carlson-leftist-psycho_n_69e10906e4b09c81bf1693e5%3Fhp_auth_done%3D1","cetUnit":"buzz_body","enableIncontentPlayer":false,"bodyAds":["
rnrn","
rnrn","
rnrn"],"adCount":0,"midArticleAdPartner":null},"isCollectionEmbed":false}”>
Tucker has turned into a deranged, Leftist psycho.
Who loves sharia. https://t.co/vD2FpFRYjB
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) April 15, 2026
The newsletter then claimed that Muslims believe Jesus “performed miracles, and states that He will return to Earth to defeat the Antichrist,” likely meaning Pezeshkian apparently saw Trump’s AI image as an “attack on his religion as well as Christianity.”
The furor over the president’s post comes while Trump has been attacking Pope Leo XIV for criticizing the U.S.-Israel war against Iran.
Trump posted and then deleted the AI Jesus image this past Sunday, but later defended himself by saying he thought the computer-generated illustration showed him as a “doctor.”