Ted Cruz Hints at 2028 Bid and Urges Regime Collapse

President Donald Trump and Senator Ted Cruz have fueled speculation regarding a potential 2028 presidential bid by Cruz. Speaking from the Oval Office on August 30, 2026, Trump described Cruz as a talented friend and suggested he might seek the presidency. While Cruz initially remained coy, he later admitted it is no secret that he wants to be president, though he indicated a final decision will come after the November midterm elections.

Cruz has recently engaged in activities perceived as campaign precursors, including trips to Iowa and public questioning of the GOP's ideological direction. He has specifically challenged whether the party has already coalesced behind Vice President JD Vance. Trump and Cruz are expected to appear together next month at a Republican midterm convention in Dallas, Texas.

On foreign policy, Cruz called for free and fair elections in Venezuela by mid-next year following a Trump administration announcement that the United States will take control of 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil reserves. This follows the January seizure of former President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. armed forces on drug-trafficking charges, which left Delcy Rodríguez as acting president. Cruz also urged the administration to arm protesters in Iran to achieve regime collapse, arguing the Iranian people should remove the regime from power.