Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Tuesday launched an attack on supposed communists that critics said sounded more like a description of President Donald Trump.

During a Fox News interview, Cruz referred to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as “comrade Mamdani” and slammed him for owning a home in Uganda, where he was born.

“But that’s always the case. Fidel Castro was a billionaire. Putin is a billionaire,” Cruz said. “The leaders of communist regimes are always rich. They steal and rob from those they govern.”

Mamdani is a democratic socialist, not a communist. Yet leading Republican figures such as Cruz have taken a cue from Trump, who lately has attacked supposed “communists” in a callback to the Red Scare. In most cases, however, Trump uses the word to describe just about anyone he doesn’t like.

Trump is not just a billionaire; his personal wealth has skyrocketed by more than $2 billion since he returned to the White House last year. That number includes more than $1 billion from his crypto businesses, which he gained while some 764,000 other crypto wallets suffered massive losses on $TRUMP, according to The New York Times.

Trump’s unprecedented use of the White House to enrich himself even caused The Wall Street Journal editorial board to accuse the president and his family of “profiting off the presidency in ways that demean the office.”

Given that context, Cruz’s attack on leaders who are “always rich” and “steal and rob from those they govern” sounded a lot like it could apply to Trump himself.

Critics wrote:

Cancun Cruz not self aware enough to realize what he just admitted about Trump …. https://t.co/WzY3jSFAKg

Who want to tell him? https://t.co/AwrbdecODk

Left out another country https://t.co/qaFiCaQjTL

Do these people not hear themselves?? https://t.co/naSezLsmGq

Ted is so close to getting it. https://t.co/KuW0YLX2ir

Sounds like Ted Cruz is saying Trump is the leader of a communist regime. https://t.co/hgLUQWUOEw

Ted Cruz accidentally made the case against his own President. What a fucking idiot. https://t.co/F8Es4KLWR1

Hmmmmmm…. He’s so close. https://t.co/3Cl5VZAcla

Someone should introduce the Senator to the orange guy who lives on Pennsylvania Avenue. https://t.co/FkH6AwMFis

? https://t.co/tCrJOb5JNO pic.twitter.com/zoUkjTXtpd

Donald Trump made more money in the last year and a half than in his entire life. What is that called @tedcruz? https://t.co/bbVg6DyYjt

Sounds familiar https://t.co/j3LoitL0NY

think about it for 10 more seconds bud https://t.co/Proed3TPje

Crazy that he can’t see the irony. https://t.co/zfRFcM0eKn

Anyone told him about Trump https://t.co/aEh8Z3ahyE

I can’t anymore, y’all. Like for fucking real. https://t.co/9EzIqEZIVN

By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.