United States Sen. Ted Cruz recently sat down for a long-form interview with Tucker Carlson. The conversation focused largely on American foreign policy and, at times, became tense.
When Carlson questioned Cruz’s support for sending military aid to Israel in its ongoing conflict with Hamas and, more recently, Iran, the pair debated the theology behind American evangelicals’ support for Israel.
Ted Cruz as ‘The Leading Defender of Israel’
“I came into Congress 13 years ago with the stated intention of being the leading defender of Israel in the United States Senate,” Cruz told Carlson. “And I’ve worked every day to do that.”
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Conversely, Carlson expressed suspicion of the United States’ support of Israel, suggesting that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a political action committee that fundraises for Cruz, lobbies “for a foreign government.”
Cruz took exception to Carlson questioning his motives for supporting Israel, and Carlson took exception to Cruz saying that Carlson was “obsessed” with Israel, a comment Carlson took as Cruz implying that Carlson is an antisemite.
Seeking to clarify his reasoning for his support of Israel, Cruz said, “The reason is twofold. No. 1, as a Christian, growing up in Sunday school, I was taught from the Bible, ‘Those who bless Israel will be blessed, and those who curse Israel will be cursed.’ And from my perspective, I want to be on the blessing side of things.”
“Those who bless the government of Israel?” Carlson questioned.
“‘Those who bless Israel,’ is what it says. It doesn’t say ‘the government of.’ It says ‘the nation of Israel,’” Cruz replied. “So that’s in the Bible. As a Christian, I believe that.”
“Where is that?” asked Carlson.
“I can find it [for] you. I don’t have the Scripture off the tip of mind. Pull out the phone and use Google,” Cruz responded before Carlson interrupted, saying, “It’s in Genesis.”
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Carlson continued, “So you’re quoting a Bible phrase you don’t have context for and you don’t know where in the Bible it is, but that’s like your theology? I’m confused. What does that even mean?”
