Senator Ted Cruz has defended President Donald Trump's recent claims about his experience near Ground Zero on 9/11, suggesting that the passage of time may account for any perceived inaccuracies.
Trump, at an event honoring first responders, recounted a story of two firefighters carrying him to safety amid fears of a building collapse. He stated they "literally lifted me up... and they started running with me."
When questioned by CNN's Kaitlan Collins, Cruz stated that "September 11th was 25 years ago," and that as a New Yorker, he does not doubt that "what he's conveying there is what he experienced." Cruz added that it was a "traumatic experience for all of us."
The senator's defense drew criticism on social media. Some users pointed to a past incident in 2017 where Cruz "liked" a graphic adult video shared on September 11th. Others mocked the defense, with one user stating, "Never forget except for Donald Trump, he can forget." Political scientist Norman Ornstein described Cruz's defense as "a disgrace."
The White House also issued a defense of Trump's account. Trump himself posted on Truth Social, asserting he was near Ground Zero "shortly thereafter" the collapse, though not on the same day.