Senator Ted Cruz, R-TX, will not accompany President Biden on Air Force One during his trip to assist in recovery and damage-related efforts related to the destructive winter weather conditions in Texas, said the White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, on Thursday.
Biden is due to visit the state with Texas Governor Gregg Abbott to review relief operations underway after sub-zero temperatures that have left millions of residents without power or heating. Presidents often invite senators to travel with them from Washington DC during trips to their home states.
Neither Senator John Cornyn nor Cruz, who faced strong criticism for taking a family vacation in Cancún, Mexico, at the height of the Texas power crisis, will travel with Biden. When asked about the situation, Psaki cited space limitations in Air Force One.
CRUZ ADMITS CANCUN TRIP ‘OBVIOUSLY A MISTAKE’
“Dr. Biden is traveling, of course, with us to Texas,” said Psaki, referring to the first lady. “There are some limitations on available space, so there are no members, I don’t believe, of any group traveling with the president to Texas. But again, he will spend the day traveling with Governor Abbott and assessing the damage to the floor.”
Psaki added that he would “double check” whether Cruz would join Biden at some point during the trip.
“I’m not aware of their plans to participate in tomorrow’s events.”
Last week, Cruz faced appeals to resign after posts circulated on social media showed him and his family boarding a plane to Mexico amid power cuts. In leaked text messages, Cruz’s wife, Heidi, invited neighbors to join the family at a resort in Cancún for a stay of several days.
The senator flew back to his home state in 24 hours amid a growing outcry.
Cruz later said the trip was “obviously a mistake” and noted that he planned to work remotely.
“Looking back, I wouldn’t have done that,” Cruz told reporters when he returned. “I was trying to be a father, and we all make decisions, when you have two girls who have been cold for two days and don’t have heating or power and they’re saying, ‘Hey, look, we don’t have’ no school, come on get out of here. ‘
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“I think a lot of parents would say, ‘If I can do this, great.’ This is what I wanted to do. As I said, from the moment I sat on the plane, I really started to question that decision. “
As Biden travels to Texas, Cruz is due to deliver a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida, on Friday. Cruz’s speech is entitled “Declaration of rights, freedom and cancellation of culture”.