‘Stop being a propagandist’: Sen. Ted Cruz dodges questions from reporters about gun reform

Sen. Ted Cruz is doubling down on blaming mental health as the cause for the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas that left 22 people dead, including 19 children and two teachers. The Republican senator stormed out of an interview Wednesday after being asked if gun laws will change following the nation’s worst school shooting since Sandy Hook in 2012.

The Republican senator joined Gov. Greg Abbott and other Republican politicians as well as hundreds of relatives and friends of the victims mourning at a vigil in Uvalde Wednesday.

At the vigil, Cruz was approached by British journalist Mark Stone of Sky News. The Republican senator told Stone: “There are 19 sets of parents who are never going to get to kiss their child tonight.” Stone then questioned the Republican senator if now was the moment to reform gun laws. In response, Cruz rolled his eyes, and accused Stone of politicizing the tragedy.

“You know, it’s easy to go to politics,” Cruz told Sky News. “Inevitably, when some psychopath murders people… If you want to stop violent crime, the proposals the Democrats have — none of them would have stopped this.”

Stone pressed, pointing to how the 18-year-old gunman Salvador Ramos was able to “so easily” legally purchase two AR-15 style rifles a week before the shooting, just days after his 18th birthday. He also asked Cruz why school shootings “only happen in America” and why American exceptionalism is “so awful.”

“You know, I’m sorry you think American exceptionalism is awful,” Cruz rebuts. “You know what, you’ve got your political agenda, God love you,” Cruz added, walking away. 

As Stone followed the Texas senator, repeatedly saying “You can’t answer that, can you?” a frustrated Cruz turned and said: “Why is it that people come from all over the world to America? Because it’s the freest, most prosperous, safest country on Earth. Stop being a propagandist.” Cruz then stormed out of the interview. 

Sky News posted a clip of the moment on TikTok, which has been viewed more than 1 million times. Commenters sided with Stone, one saying “Thank you Sky News for going where other media companies won’t.” Another wrote, “See how Cruz dismisses the issue at hand? Kudos to those reporters…”