'Consumed by TDS': Cruz rips Bill Kristol for supporting Twitter following Trump executive order

Sen. Ted Cruz responded to criticism from Bill Kristol by saying the political commentator has become so “consumed” with “Trump derangement syndrome” that he has been rendered “unrecognizable.”

The Texas Republican responded to a tweet from the official Twitter account lamenting President Trump’s recent executive order regarding social media by writing, “Then stop your 'attempts to unilateral erode' the First Amendment, and don’t behave like rich, condescending jack-booted thugs.”

That tweet prompted a response from Kristol, who mocked Cruz and sided with Twitter, tweeting, “Twitter: 'Mr. President, we’re going to note politely that what you say about voting isn’t factual. And your cavalier remark about shooting at a time of disturbances and racial tensions? We’ll just make that a bit less accessible. Sen. Ted Cruz: ‘You jack-booted thugs!’”

Cruz then accused Kristol of supporting “big tech censorship.”

“Now @BillKristol is in favor of Big Tech censorship,” Cruz tweeted. “Because Silicon Valley billionaires controlling what speech is & isn’t allowed will work our great for America. Kristol—who used to be Dan Quayle’s chief of staff—has become so consumed by TDS that he’s unrecognizable.”

Trump signed an executive order Thursday targeting social media companies for the way they regulate content on their platforms.

"What they're doing is tantamount to monopoly, you can say it's tantamount to taking over the airwaves," Trump argued. "Can't let it happen. Otherwise, we're not going to have a Democracy, we're not going to have anything to do with a republic."

The move earned praise from Attorney General William Barr and suggested possible litigation in addition to the order.

"They are using that market power with particular viewpoints," Barr said. "That is wrong. It has to be addressed, not only to this executive order, but I think litigation going forward."