Donald Trump Jr blasts Ted Cruz for attacking Iran deal: ‘Lying thru his teeth’
WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump Jr accused Sen Ted Cruz of misleading supporters about President Donald Trump's memorandum of understanding with Iran on Wednesday, June 17.
The clash unfolded on social media after Cruz criticized key aspects of the agreement, arguing that it could ultimately benefit the Iranian regime. The first son quickly pushed back, accusing the Texas senator of spreading false information and undermining the president's efforts to secure peace in the region.
The only problem with this quote is that @tedcruz is lying thru his teeth about the deal. We're not giving them a cent and he knows that. Using fake news about the peace deal to undermine @realDonaldTrump is the opposite of MAGA. https://t.co/X2q3jesxc3
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) June 17, 2026
Ted Cruz's remarks on the US-Iran agreement
The dispute began after Cruz appeared on The Daily Wire and expressed concerns about the recently announced memorandum of understanding aimed at ending conflict in the region.
The Texas senator argued that the deal could result in billions of dollars flowing to Iran before meaningful nuclear concessions are made.
"What has been released so far suggests that, unfortunately, the president is getting, I think, very poor advice when it comes to this deal," Cruz said. "History teaches that giving billions of dollars to theocratic lunatics who want to murder us is a bad idea."
Cruz went on to claim that somewhere between $10 billion and $30 billion could ultimately reach Iran's leadership.
"Under the terms of what's been released, somewhere between $10 billion and $30 billion will flow to the Ayatollah immediately before they make even a single nuclear concession," he said.
According to him, such a move would be dangerous because the funds could be used to strengthen groups hostile to the United States.
"I think that's ill-advised. That money, if it goes to the Ayatollah, will go to fund te**orists trying to kill Americans and weapons that will be used to try to kill Americans," Cruz added.
The senator also expressed concern about what he viewed as Iran's potential role in controlling the Strait of Hormuz under the agreement.
"It is difficult to see what possible benefit to America could come from that," Cruz said.
Ted Cruz says Trump was right to take military action against Iran
Despite criticizing the agreement, Cruz made clear that he supports Trump's approach toward Iran and praised the president's earlier military actions.
According to him, Trump's decision to strike Iranian military capabilities was justified, given the long-running tensions between the US and Iran.
"President Trump was exactly right to initiate military action against Iran because for 47 years the regime has been waging war against America," Cruz said.
"Nearly one thousand Americans have been murdered by the Ayatollah and the mullahs," Cruz claimed. "That is why the president acted as a strong commander-in-chief to take out their military capacity."
However, Cruz said he does not believe it serves American interests to provide any assistance that could help rebuild Iranian capabilities.
"It is not remotely in America's interest for us to pay to rebuild that capacity that we just took out," he said.
Donald Trump Jr calls Ted Cruz's criticism of deal 'the opposite of MAGA'
Don Jr wasted little time responding.
Sharing Cruz's remarks on X, he accused the senator of knowingly spreading false claims about the terms of the agreement.
"The only problem with this quote is that @tedcruz is lying thru his teeth about the deal," the president's eldest son wrote. "We're not giving them a cent, and he knows that."
Don Jr also suggested that Cruz's comments were damaging to the MAGA movement.
"Using fake news about the peace deal to undermine @realDonaldTrump is the opposite of MAGA," he added.
The post immediately drew attention because Cruz has long been viewed as one of Trump's strongest allies in the Senate.