Ted Cruz said Republicans don't criticize Trump because if they do, 'he turns around and punches them in the face' for it.

Ted Cruz said his Republican peers are hesitant to criticize Donald Trump because he would turn around and punch them.

Cruz made the comments at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin on Saturday.

People are reluctant to criticize Donald Trump. "It's a lot of things." He punches the person in the face if they criticize him.

Cruz said he saw Trump slam the Republican senators with a stick after they criticized him.

We accomplished a lot under Trump. Cruz thinks there is an incredible record of policy victories. I don't agree with a lot of Donald Trump's statements. I decided not to give color commentary on MSNBC for every statement that was clearly indefensible.

—Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) September 24, 2022

For any Republican, that was a complicated decision, how do you deal with Trump? Cruz said something else. "If he does things that are good and praise-worthy, I will praise him, and if he says things I disagree with, I won't engage in the day-to-day color commentary."

During the presidential election, Trump made a number of derogatory comments about Cruz and his family, but later apologized. Cruz was a strong ally of Trump.