Ted Cruz

Ted Cruz’s critique of communism Tuesday turned into friendly fire against Donald Trump, according to the president’s critics.

Cruz, the Republican U.S. senator from Texas, appeared on “Hannity” on Fox News when he compared democratic socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to late communist leader Fidel Castro of Cuba and Russian President Vladamir Putin while ripping Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax. The surcharge would be applied to second homes in the Big Apple worth $5 million or more.

“By the way, Mamdani — you know who does own pied-à-terre? That would be Comrade Mamdani, who has a palatial estate in Uganda, but that’s always the case. Fidel Castro was a billionaire. Putin is a billionaire. The leaders of communist regimes are always rich. They steal and rob from those they govern," Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity.

What Cruz may have thought was a takedown of communism was also an attack against Trump, administration opponents argued.

“Ted Cruz accidentally made the case against his own President. What a f------ idiot,” posted progressive influencer Alex Cole.

“Crazy that he can’t see the irony,” said @cturnbull1968.

“Left out another country,” added Atlantic journalist Anne Applebaum.

Cruz’s critics pointed alluded to Trump’s net worth. Bloomberg reported the president earned more money through his second term than he did in the last 60 years of his business career.

“Do these people not hear themselves??” tweeted popular X account Covie.

“Donald Trump made more money in the last year and a half than in his entire life,” said Fred Wellman. What is that called @tedcruz?"