A video shared on Threads allegedly shows Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz messing up the Pledge of Allegiance. 

 

Post by @michelestillman

View on Threads

 

Verdict: False

The video was digitally altered, a Cruz spokesperson told Check Your Fact via email.

Fact Check: 

Cruz has not made a public decision on a 2028 presidential run, according to The Hill. Cruz ran for the presidency in 2016, when he and opponent Trump often exchanged insults, but Cruz still endorsed him for the 2016 presidency and is supporting his run this election cycle as well, the outlet reported.

A Threads post purports Cruz struggled to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. The video appears to show Cruz trailing off and forgetting the words.

“It’s okay, Ted, just keep going,” a voice in the background is heard saying. The same voice encourages him to try it again as he continues to stumble over his words. The end of the video shows text that reads “Vote Blue.”

This is not a genuine video, however. “It’s an altered video,” a Cruz spokesperson confirmed in an email to Check Your Fact. They also included a link to the original video.

The spokesperson referenced a video uploaded by Cruz on June 14, 2021, showing him reciting the pledge correctly without any pauses such as the ones seen in the altered video. Additionally, this video shows that the Threads post had been flipped, and Cruz is correctly holding his right hand over his heart while saying the pledge.

This didn’t use to be controversial. #flagday pic.twitter.com/azsUwItMGp

— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) June 14, 2021

“This didn’t use to be controversial. #flagday,” Cruz’s caption reads. (RELATED: Did Ted Cruz Sell $500,000 Worth Of Goldman Sachs Stock?)

The claim was also debunked by Reuters.