Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said
he is happy five Americans held prisoners in Iran have been released, but he said the United States gave in to terrorism by releasing seven Iranians accused of violating the nuclear deal and agreeing not to pursue another 14.
"That's 21 terrorists helping Iran develop nuclear weapons that they intend to use to try to murder us," Cruz told
"Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace.
"Praise God, Americans are coming home," Cruz said, "But this deal is really problematic."
Cruz said America's enemies "are laughing at us."
Cruz compared the deal to the controversial swap of five top Taliban leaders for U.S. Army solider Bowe Bergdhal, who has been accused of abandoning his post in Afghanistan.
In this case, Cruz said, innocent Americans who should never have been held are being traded for many more Iranians who are involved in terrorism.
The Obama administration says those it released did not have terrorist ties.
Cruz also was asked about a vote in December in which he initially voted against adding money for a crop insurance program, then switched it three minutes later.
Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts has said Cruz switched the vote after he told him the vote would hurt Cruz's presidential campaign in Iowa.
Cruz denied that Sunday, saying he was confused over what was being voted on. The order of two votes were switched, Cruz said, and once Roberts explained it to him, he changed his vote.
As for his spat with GOP front-runner Donald Trump over his "New York Values" comment, Cruz said, "It strikes me as curious that he is displayed such outrage that anyone would even acknowledge that there's a particular political view – and I would point out it's a view echoed by far left liberal democratic politicians like Andrew Cuomo, like Bill de Blasio, like Hillary Clinton, and Donald Trump has supported those candidates and supported their positions on a lot of issues."
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.