Ted Cruz Accuses Luigi Mangione of Being a 'Leftist' Despite Social Media Posts Praising Tucker Carlson and Decrying the 'Woke Mind Virus'

Ted Cruz has sparked online debate by labeling Luigi Mangione, the suspected killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, as a "leftist," a claim that has been contradicted by Mangione's social media posts praising conservatives and decrying the "woke mind virus."

Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate, was arrested as a person of interest in last week's brazen killing of Thompson. After his arrest, a wave of online support painted him as a sort of hero, while critics speculated about his political alignment.

Senator Cruz reignited the controversy by tweeting that Mangione's actions are evidence that "leftist is a mental disease."

Cruz cited law enforcement reports suggesting Mangione supported anti-capitalist and climate-change causes. However, journalists and social media users quickly pushed back, highlighting Mangione's documented admiration for right-wing commentator Tucker Carlson.

Mangione's tweets include detailed defenses of Carlson's critique of modern architecture. These posts challenge the simplistic narrative of Mangione as aligned with traditional leftist ideologies.

Critics of Cruz have accused him of weaponizing the incident for political points, while others argue that Mangione's beliefs represent a hybrid of ideologies.