Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) blasted conservative commentator Tucker Carlson after he claimed that U.S. troops would rape Iranian women if President Donald Trump secured Iran’s “unconditional surrender,” marking another moment in the debate on the right over the administration’s military campaign against the regime.
Carlson made the comments during a recent interview with Breaking Points host Saagar Enjeti. “Unconditional surrender means foreign troops get to rape your wife and daughter if they want, and everyone knows that,” Carlson said. He continued, saying it’s “like the most atavistic instinct there is, and so to avoid that, people will do anything.”
Carlson argued that ensuring the Iranian regime’s surrender “would require weapons of mass destruction” and “would require, presumably, nuclear weapons” and claimed the U.S. is moving closer to that scenario playing out on the ground.
Cruz slammed Carlson over the remarks during an episode of his podcast. He played Carlson’s comments for his audience and referred to them as “utter and complete garbage” and accused Carlson of being an “America-hating Islamist fluffer.”
The senator claimed the U.S. military never engaged in systematic rape as a war strategy and ridiculed Carlson’s comments about nuclear strikes as unfounded.
“You want to talk about unhinged,” Cruz said. “That is like some of the most anti-American propaganda I’ve ever seen spewed by someone like Tucker Carlson. It is a new low even for him. And that and the bar keeps dropping day after day.”
The Democrats and the press are trying to undermine President Trump and the U.S. military.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) March 9, 2026
So is Tucker Carlson — he has declared war on President Trump’s foreign policy.
This and more on Verdict: https://t.co/pBeQ13AHCC pic.twitter.com/rbS4JYQegj
Cruz and Carlson have been feuding over U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East since last year after Cruz appeared on Carlson’s podcast to discuss the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.
Tucker was “outraged,” calling it a “dig at the U.S.” after Amb. Huckabee noted that Israel drops leaflets to warn civilians.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) March 10, 2026
3 days ago, he implied American troops are about to “rape the wives and daughters” of Iranian soldiers.
Grotesque and anti-American. pic.twitter.com/GOQgCq0o6g
Carlson has been a vocal critic of U.S. policy in the region, but has also appeared to prop up authoritarian regimes. He has faced criticism for allowing Iranian officials extensive airtime to propagandize about issues like terrorism, human rights, and its pursuit of nuclear weapons without offering pushback.