Sen. Ted Cruz attempted to tamp down criticism after a photo appeared to show him flying out of Texas just as the state prepared for another rare winter storm.
A photo of the Texas senator on a commercial flight began circulating online Monday, reviving memories of the infamous trip to Cancun he took in 2021 during a deadly freeze.
Political strategist Shea Jordan Smith shared the image to X on Jan. 20, 2026. In the tweet, Smith wrote that Cruz was seen "on a plane heading to Laguna Beach as the state of Texas braces for a rare ice threat and arctic cold front."
The post drew over 8 million views and 17,000 likes. That same day, Cruz addressed the weather without mentioning his travel plans.
He tweeted, "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." He then directed followers to emergency agencies for updates.
Ted Cruz was spotted on a plane as Texas prepared for ice
Although Smith initially referenced Laguna Beach, details were clarified as the post spread.
The image originated from TikToker Raina Esterbrook (@raina_esterbrook), whose friend Jake sent her the photo from his seat on the airplane. Esterbrook wrote, "Ted Cruz spotted leaving the city (1/20/26) looks like Houston is about to get arctic blasted."
Esterbook wrote in the comments of her TikTok video, "The photo was 100% taken yesterday straight from my friends iPhone. However I was wrong about laguna beach, that’s where my friend went, not sure where Ted went from here."
She wrote an update saying that Cruz landed at John Wayne Airport.
A spokesperson for Cruz told Newsweek that the senator was traveling for work. "Senator Cruz is currently on pre-planned work travel that was scheduled weeks in advance," they explained. "He will be back in Texas before the storm is projected to hit."
Even so, comparisons to previous instances of Cruz leaving the state for severe weather followed quickly. In 2021, Cruz traveled to Cancun during a deadly winter storm, a move that elicited outrage from many constituents. In July 2025, he was also caught vacationing in Greece during the deadly flash floods in Kerr County.
Reactions to Cruz leaving (again) were largely unsurprised
Online reactions leaned sarcastic rather than shocked. Many users treated the sighting as predictable, given his past behavior.
"This is like the houston version of the waffle house index," joked @oop_echeng.
"You have to admire the consistency from @tedcruz," tweeted @TVietor08. "When there's a crisis in Texas, he sprints out of town."
Others joked about the timing. "People are mad at him but personally I think it’s nice to have our own early warning system for snow storms," @TheLufkinLawyer wrote. "Kind of like a Texas Groundhog."
Comments on TikTok echoed the tone. One person wrote, "Laughing bc we all knew he’d do it." Another added, "If I had a nickel for every time my senator left the state due to a potentially deadly arctic blast, I’d have two nickels! Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice!"
Smith also shared his frustration with Newsweek. "It’s the worst feeling in the world," he said, explaining that Cruz’s departures now signaled trouble ahead. He added, "Texas deserves a full-time Senator. Not a part-time podcaster and vacation blogger."
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