- Texas Senator Ted Cruz faced widespread backlash after defending President Donald Trump against accusations that he fabricated a story about 9/11 firefighters.
- During a speech on the Ellipse, Trump claimed two firefighters lifted and ran with him away from a creaking building in Manhattan following the attacks.
- Appearing on CNN's "The Source," Cruz defended Trump's account as a traumatic personal experience, despite critics pointing out a lack of supporting evidence.
- Critics and commentators derided Cruz as a "bootlicker" and a "coward" for coming to Trump's defense.
- Trump forcefully defended his account on Truth Social and confirmed he will attend 9/11 commemorations at the Pentagon rather than Ground Zero.
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