January 7, 2021, interviews: Cruz gave a series of interviews to Texas television stations in which he repeatedly described the events of the day prior as a “terrorist attack.”

“What happened yesterday in Washington was horrific. It was a terrorist attack on the United States Capitol. It was despicable. It’s a dark day in our nation’s history when terrorists can assault the citadel of democracy,” he told NBC 5 of Dallas-Fort Worth.

“We saw a terrorist attack on the United States Capitol, it was despicable, it was an assault. And every one of those violent criminals who attacked the Capitol, they should be fully prosecuted,” he told CBS19 of the east Texas city of Tyler, CBS19 reported. “We saw a terrorist attack on the United States Capitol.”

“I do think it’s really cynical for them to be trying to take advantage of what was a tragic event that occurred yesterday in Washington,” he told ABC13 of Houston in response to the Texas Democratic Party’s call for him to resign. “The terrorist attack on the Capitol, it was despicable.”