Ted Cruz shuts down Trump Supreme Court talk with a fiery 'not just no, but hell no'

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has dismissed speculation about a potential Supreme Court nomination, saying his response to President Donald Trump would be "not just no, but hell no."

Speaking on the "Hang Out with Sean Hannity" podcast, Cruz said he would rather remain in politics than serve on the Supreme Court.

"So look, my answer is not just no, but hell no. And listen, I don't say that lightly. I mean, it’s a big deal. The court is an institution I revere," Cruz told Hannity.

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Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks to reporters while campaigning with South Carolina Attorney General and Republican gubernatorial candidate Alan Wilson at Doc's Barbeque on June 22, 2026, in Columbia, S.C., ahead of the Republican gubernatorial primary runoff. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

"And a lot of people are surprised, because I've spent an awful lot of my professional life around the court, in the court. And for so many people, it is their life dream to do," he added.

Trump has floated Cruz’s name for the Supreme Court in the past, joking he’d be the only nominee to get "100% of the Democrat vote, 100% of the Republican vote" because lawmakers would want to "get him out" of Congress.

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Before entering politics, Cruz graduated from Princeton University and got his law degree from Harvard Law School. After law school, he clerked for Chief Justice William Rehnquist and later worked in private practice.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, left, and President Donald Trump attend an event in the Oval Office of the White House on Dec. 11, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

During his conversation with Hannity, Cruz called Trump a "good friend," despite their rivalry during the 2016 Republican presidential primary. He also said that federal judges typically have to stay out of politics and policy battles.

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"Because a principled federal judge stays out of politics and stays out of policy fights," Cruz said of why he would not want a seat on the bench.

Cruz was sworn into the Senate in 2013. He previously served as solicitor general of Texas from 2003 to 2008 and argued nine cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Texas Tribune reported that Cruz was among 20 potential Supreme Court picks on Trump’s 2020 short list. Cruz responded to his inclusion on the list in a statement on X, then known as Twitter:

"I am grateful for the president’s confidence in me and for his leadership in nominating principled constitutionalists to the federal bench over the last four years," Cruz said.

"It’s humbling and an immense honor to be considered for the Supreme Court. The High Court plays a unique role in defending our Constitution, and there is no greater responsibility in public service than to support and defend the Constitution of the United States," he added.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, walks through a hallway at the U.S. Capitol on Aug. 8, 2026, in Washington, D.C., as senators worked through a series of votes ahead of the summer recess. (Finn Gomez/Getty Images)

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At the time, Cruz said he had been "blessed to lead the fight to preserve our constitutional liberties" in the Senate and looked forward to continuing that work.

Fox News's Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.