Ted Cruz slammed for mocking Disney’s $5M pledge to rebuild Notre Dame: 'How much did you donate?'
Ted Cruz made a joke about Disney's Notre Dame donation - and Twitter is confused.
After the French landmark went up in flames on Monday, the Walt Disney Company joined many other corporations in giving money to a restoration project. The corporation, which has wide-ranging assets from its movie studios to theme parks, pledged $5 million of aid.
The Walt Disney Company today announced it is committing $5 million to aid in the reconstruction of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris following the devastating fire that severely damaged the historic landmark this week: https://t.co/5Bm3BpDTPVpic.twitter.com/MFXAvUjsjg
- Walt Disney Company (@WaltDisneyCo) April 17, 2019
While most viewed that as a positive thing, the Texas senator used it as an opportunity to take a swipe at the Mickey Mouse company. He tweeted, "Will we see Disney princesses in the new stained glass?" - even though much of the cathedral's stained glass actually survived the fire.
Wonderful! Will we see Disney princesses in the new stained glass? https://t.co/al6W7bvFyb
- Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) April 17, 2019
His comment was slammed as "snarky and disrespectful" - and even supporters found it "uncalled for." And there were questions - ranging from "How much did you donate Ted?" to "Are you totally tone deaf? What is wrong with you?" Actress Joely Fisher just went with, "Idiot" and another imagined what it would be like if Rep. Ilhan Omar had posted it.
Cruz's boss, President Donald Trump, issued his own statement on the Notre Dame disaster.
Just had a wonderful conversation with @Pontifex Francis offering condolences from the People of the United States for the horrible and destructive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral. I offered the help of our great experts on renovation and construction as I did....
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2019
Just had a wonderful conversation with @Pontifex Francis offering condolences from the People of the United States for the horrible and destructive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral. I offered the help of our great experts on renovation and construction as I did....
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2019
His tweet was similarly panned. Offering his advice during the fire to Parisian firefighters on how to contain the flame, many on social media said his advice was incorrect.
Donations have been flowing in to pay for the cathedral to be build. Salma Hayek's French billionaire husband, François-Henri Pinault, pledged $113 million. Donations from two other of the country's richest families added another $587 million.