Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) was momentarily stumped during a recent interview with Tucker Carlson when asked about the population of Iran — a country frequently mentioned in U.S. foreign policy discussions.
The exchange occurred during a segment focused on rising tensions in the Middle East. Carlson pressed Cruz on the implications of possible military action, leading to a pointed moment:
Tucker Carlson: “How many people live in Iran?”
Sen. Cruz: “I don’t know the population.”
Carlson: “You don’t know the population of the country you seek to topple?”
Cruz (responding): “How many people live in Iran?”
Carlson: “92 million. How could you not know that?”
The clip quickly gained attention online, with critics arguing that the senator’s lack of awareness on such a basic fact undermines the seriousness of calls for stronger U.S. posture toward Iran.
Senator Cruz has not yet issued a follow-up statement addressing the interview.
According to recent estimates, Iran’s population is approximately 89 to 92 million, depending on the source — a figure cited by Carlson during the discussion.
