OAN Staff Abril Elfi
12:37 PM – Tuesday, July 8, 2025
Texas Senator Ted Cruz has stated that he traveled back “as fast as humanly possible” from his vacation after facing backlash for being in Greece with his family when devastating floods hit central Texas.
On Tuesday, Cruz’s communications director told The Daily Beast that Cruz returned “as fast as humanly possible” after learning about the natural disaster’s impact in his district.
“The Senator was already in the middle of preplanned family vacation travel overseas when the flooding occurred on July 4. Within hours, he spoke by phone with Governor [Greg] Abbott, Lt. Governor [Dan] Patrick, Texas Emergency Management Director Nim Kidd, and President Trump, working to ensure that the maximum federal assets were available for search and rescue,” Cruz’s office said in a statement.
Advertisement“He and his team worked closely with local officials and with families of missing girls throughout that time. He promptly booked a flight back home. Given the time difference, he left Athens on Sunday morning and was back in Texas that night. And he was in Kerrville on the ground early Monday morning,” the statement continued.
Cruz (R-Texas) was photographed by a traveler at the Parthenon in Athens on Saturday, the day after the area was devastated by flooding. According to the Houston Chronicle, which interviewed the traveler, the shot was taken at 6 p.m. local time.
While Cruz was away, Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) met with Governor Greg Abbott (R-Texas), Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Representative Chip Roy (R-Texas), and Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha for a briefing on Saturday.
Cruz stated that he spoke with leaders while abroad to help organize rescue efforts and will attend a separate press conference upon his return to Kerr County.
“The flooding we are seeing in Central Texas is absolutely devastating. Heidi and I send our heartfelt condolences to all those who have been directly impacted by this natural disaster. We thank President Trump for quickly approving Governor Abbott’s disaster declaration, and Secretary Noem for being on the ground and sending additional personnel to support Texans,” Cruz said in a statement Sunday.
“We urge everyone to heed the warnings from local officials and stay out of harm’s way. We are immensely grateful to the first responders—both in Texas and from across the country—who are risking their own safety to rescue those in need. As Texans, we must remain united in spirit and grit, and support our neighbors as we always do best,” he continued.
In 2021, the senator faced backlash after taking a trip Cancún, Mexico, amid the winter storm that killed hundreds of Texans.
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