Ted Cruz's Daughter Unapologetically Wears Trump Disapproval On Her Face — Again

If you think clashing political views with loved ones is awkward, imagine if one of them were a high-profile politician. Such is the case for Ted Cruz's daughter, Caroline Cruz, perhaps the shadiest political kid out there today. When the Texas senator retained his seat in November 2024, his victory speech was overshadowed by Caroline's reaction. As seen here on YouTube, Cruz told the crowd, "I believe, and I hope, and I pray, that Donald Trump will be re-elected as President of the United States." The crowd applauded, but when Cruz's wife, Heidi, began to join them, Caroline grimaced and clearly mouthed to her mother, "Don't clap for that."

The teen's RDF (Resting Disgusted Face) returned on January 3, when she joined the family at the Capitol for her father's swearing-in ceremony. Vice President Kamala Harris, who made a historic run for the White House, showed no visible sign of regret over her loss to Trump. She administered the oath as Heidi held the traditional Bible. But Caroline again seemed less than thrilled by having her father serve under the divisive re-elected president, and cameras caught her looking grim and resigned. She managed a small smile for a family portrait, but it was considerably less joyful than the ones displayed by her parents, grandfather, and sister Catherine.

This incident came just three days after another public event when, yet again, the 16-year-old made it known that she might not be entirely on board with her father's alliances.

Ted Cruz's relationship with Donald Trump is complicated. Friends for years, they became political rivals back in 2016, when they both vied for the Republican presidential ticket. As so often happens in this situation, things got ugly. Trump repeatedly called the senator "Lyin' Ted Cruz" and seemed to blame him for a negative ad featuring a photo of his wife, Melania Trump, posing seductively for GQ. He fired off an angry tweet threatening to "spill the beans" on Cruz's wife, Heidi, then followed up with another post showing Heidi displaying an unflattering grimace. Cruz, in turn, said Trump "traffics in sleaze and slime" and has "a real issue with strong women," per PBS. Once Cruz was out of the race, the two men resumed their previous friendship, endorsing each other for their Senate and White House positions. However, 16-year-old Caroline Cruz does not appear to be as forgiving of the president-elect as her dad is.

Trump put Cruz and his family on the invite list for his annual New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago. Cameras caught them walking the red carpet leading to the door, where Caroline once again smiled dutifully for the cameras before resuming her solemn expression. She seemed ill at ease as she fiddled with her hair and waited for the cue to enter the hall. (We're betting Caroline didn't join Melania Trump in dancing to her husband's favorite song, "YMCA.")

Caroline has made it clear in the past that she doesn't want to be lumped in with her father and his policies. In a 2022 TikTok, she declared, "I am Ted Cruz's daughter, I know that. But I am more than that, and I want to be recognized as more than that. I have my own dreams and aspirations." In other words, her RDF toward the president isn't going anywhere anytime soon.