President Donald Trump has floated the idea of nominating Senator Ted Cruz to the Supreme Court, suggesting the Texas Republican would receive unanimous support — though not exactly for the reasons a nominee might hope for.
“The Democrats will vote for him because they want to get him the hell out,” Trump quipped during remarks at a Washington summit promoting the Trump Accounts initiative on Wednesday. “And the Republicans will vote for him because they want to get him the hell out, too.”
The comments came as Trump spotted Cruz in the audience, calling him “a great guy” amid laughter from the crowd. While seemingly made in jest, the remarks highlighted the sometimes complicated relationship between the former president and the senator who once battled him fiercely for the 2016 Republican nomination before becoming a reliable ally during Trump’s administration.
Cruz’s Swift Response: “Hell No”
It didn’t take long for Cruz to respond. When asked about the possibility during an appearance on the Ruthless podcast, the senator was unequivocal in his lack of interest in donning the black robes of the nation’s highest court.
“My answer’s not just no, it’s hell no,” Cruz declared. “It is interesting in the first Trump term, the president talked to me about all three Supreme Court vacancies, and we had very serious conversations and I told him no all three times.”
This isn’t the first time Cruz’s name has been floated for the court. The Harvard-educated lawyer and former Texas solicitor general has long been mentioned as a potential Supreme Court nominee in conservative circles. His name appeared on Trump’s list of potential nominees during his first term, when the then-president appointed Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett.
Why the resistance to what many would consider a crowning achievement for someone with Cruz’s legal background?
The senator explained that his preference lies in the political arena rather than the judicial one. “A principled federal judge stays out of political fights and stays out of policy fights,” Cruz stated. “I want to be right in the middle of them.”
Trump’s remarks came during an event focused on promoting the Trump Accounts initiative, with the Supreme Court comment appearing to be an impromptu aside when he noticed Cruz in attendance. The exchange was reported to have drawn considerable laughter from those present.
The suggestion — even if made lightheartedly — underscores the ongoing speculation about potential Supreme Court nominees should another vacancy arise. At 53, Cruz would be relatively young for a Supreme Court appointee, potentially giving him decades on the bench.
Still, Cruz seems content with his current role in the Senate, where he has established himself as a prominent conservative voice and frequent participant in high-profile political battles. For a man who has never shied away from the spotlight or controversy, the relative restraint required of Supreme Court justices appears to hold little appeal.
For now, it seems the only bench in Ted Cruz’s future is the one he already occupies in the Senate — exactly where, if his comments are any indication, he prefers to be.
