Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for urging residents to conserve energy during a dangerous East Coast heat wave, calling the request absurd.
Mamdani addressed the extreme temperatures on X, "New York: it's hot out there, and the power grid is working overtime to keep us cool."
"Set your AC to 78 degrees, turn off lights/electronics you're not using, and unplug what you can. Our City is doing its part too: maintaining the 78 degrees rule in our buildings, dimming/turning off our lights during peak electricity demand, asking private partners to do the same, and powering down non-essential equipment."
Cruz responded on X, "In a first-world country, you could turn on the A/C…."
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas power grid have issued identical recommendations during extreme weather phenomena in Cruz's own state, according to the Texas Tribune.
Travis Akers, a social media user, pointed out Cruz's response during Texas' devastating 2026 winter storm that killed residents and left millions without power, "You are the absolute LAST person to weigh in, Captain Cancun."
What the video below.