Twitter mocks ‘Cancun Cruz’ for saying ‘America doesn’t leave Americans behind’

‘Uh…Texan here. Pretty sure you left us behind during a crisis,’ one Twitter user comments

Senator Ted Cruz is facing a wave of mockery on Twitter after saying “America doesn’t leave Americans behind” – reminding many observers of his ill-timed trip to Cancun.

On Monday, Mr Cruz posted a clip of a CNN report on a Texas family left stranded in Afghanistan after the final round of evacuations ended. The last American troops in the country departed this week, even as hundreds of United States citizens remained – though the Biden administration has said it will continue working to get them out.

The senator was indignant.

“This is horrifying. And wrong,” Mr Cruz tweeted. “America doesn’t leave Americans behind.”

Unfortunately for the senator, observers on Twitter appeared to have a long memory.

“Sir… You went to Cancun,” one wrote simply.

“Uh…Texan here,” another commented. “Pretty sure you left us behind during a crisis.”

Others were more explicit.

“YOU LITERALLY LEFT YOUR ENTIRE STATE TO FREEZE IN A POWER OUTAGE SO YOU COULD GO TO A RITZ CARLTON IN MEXICO,” one Twitter user shout-typed. “AND THEN YOU LIED AND TRIED TO BLAME YOUR CHILDREN WHEN YOU GOT CAUGHT.”

A spokesperson for Mr Cruz’s office defended his comments.

“While the media focuses on providing cover for the Biden administration’s rushed and catastrophic withdrawal, Sen. Cruz remains focused on fighting for the safety and security of 29 million Texans in the wake of this humiliating defeat that has emboldened our enemies,” the spokesperson told The Independent.

In February this year, as millions of Texans lost power and hundreds died during a freak winter storm, Mr Cruz infamously left for a family vacation in Cancun, Mexico. After a fierce public outcry, the Texas Republican returned to his state, and appeared to blame the trip on his daughters.

“With school cancelled for the week, our girls asked to take a trip with friends,” Mr Cruz said at the time. “Wanting to be a good dad, I flew down with them last night and am flying back this afternoon.”

As the senator weighs in on the crisis in Afghanistan, many observers appear unwilling to let that incident go.

“Since when do you care about Americans, or anyone trying to cross a border to reach safety?” one Twitter user commented.

Others posted photos of Mr Cruz wheeling his suitcase along an airport floor during his aborted Cancun trip.

“This you?” one asked.

“Dude… NOBODY forgot how you left Texans behind to go to Cancun so maybe you should sit this one out,” another commented.