Sen. Ted Cruz: Tariffs are ‘just taxes on the American people’ if you leave them in place forever
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) joins ‘Squawk Box’ to discuss the Congressional hearing later …
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February 19, 2026
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Joe Kernan is very rude, unprofessional, and needs to shut up when interviewing a CNBC guest to allow him time to answer. Get rid of him. Cruz is right saying, "Tariffs are 'just taxes on the American people' if you leave them in place forever," because it's the American importer who pays the tariff to the US customs officer. though he's delusional if he thinks medicaid recipients are people who sit at home and don't get a job.
1:09 “….to negotiate lower tariffs with our trading partners…” BUT but but aren’t tariffs required to protect US industry and re-shore manufacturing etc? There is a real obvious logic problem here. The deals won’t do this , the tariffs are gonna be gone … what a giant waste of time.
There are two camps—Ted Cruz double speak for, “I can talk out of both sides of my mouth.”
I can’t believe how much the GOP has embraced socialism.
Hey Ted, how bout getting Red States to contribute meaningfully to the GDP? California and NY are tired of pulling you guys along
These senators are no more intelligent than any buffoon off the street.
Trump’s phony UK trade deal is nothing but a con, and now furious American workers are paying the price while his billionaire buddies cash in — and he’s bragging about it.
Cruz is an ..iot.
He's talking about waste and fraud in Medicaid. It's not about eligibility. It's about private business overcharging and committing acts of fraud.
I think there’s a reason we don’t see this guy much anymore. He’s fallen off the cliff. He’s pretty much irrelevant Ted Cruz no
Nothing is well intention Joe you know that you think I’m stupid. They might be stupid, but I’m not stupid.
what do you call a government that controls the economy?
it depends on which political party is in power.
6 months we will see about tariffs??
i used to like cruz. not any more hes another courrupt one he didnt want to pas the bill stopping trading by politicans
More Taxes from American citizen. So more politicians can steal more tax money. Feeding the most corrupt country in the world.
Lyin’ Ted Cruz
Didn't they vote against overturning his tariffs though?
Number one state for medicade fraude is Florida Ted
If you tax the wealthy, our federal deficit goes down.
Callous idiots!
Rafael knows how to talk in circles. And forgot trumo called his wife ugly. Go figure
Truth ! finally from GOP senator