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Amid catastrophic flash floods in central Texas over the 2025 Fourth of July holiday weekend, a rumor spread online that one of the state’s U.S. senators, Ted Cruz, continued to sightsee while on vacation in Greece the day after disaster struck his constituents. 

Social media users on X, Facebook (archived) and Bluesky alleged the Texas Republican toured the Parthenon in Athens while rescuers searched for survivors, including over 20 missing girls from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp in Kerr County along the banks of Guadalupe River, where the flooding occurred. 

Many of these posts included photos allegedly showing Cruz at the famous Greek temple. 

While it is true that Cruz was on vacation in Greece when the flooding hit, it was not possible to independently verify the authenticity of these images at the time of publication, nor was it possible to definitively determine whether the senator visited the Parthenon amid the flooding. In a emailed statement attributed to a “Cruz office spokesperson,” the senator’s team did not directly address Cruz’s purported Parthenon trip — despite twice being asked point-blank about it. 

“The Senator was already in the middle of preplanned family vacation travel overseas when the flooding occurred on July 4,” the spokesperson said, adding that “within hours,” he spoke by phone with relevant Texas officials and U.S. President Donald Trump to “ensure that the maximum federal assets were available for search and rescue.” 

“He and his team worked closely with local officials and with families of missing girls throughout that time,” the statement continued. “He promptly booked a flight back home. Given the time difference, he left Athens on Sunday morning [July 6] and was back in Texas that night. And he was in Kerrville on the ground early Monday morning.” (Kerr County has reported by far the highest number of fatalities due to the flood, and Kerrville is the largest city in Kerr County.) 

Cruz’s office also did not respond to a question about when, exactly, the senator planned his vacation. 

Here’s what we know about the senator’s possible tour of the Parthenon. 

Origin of rumor 

On July 6, a Bluesky user, @rocman41.bsky.social, posted an image of Cruz, alleging it was taken at the Parthenon on July 5. The flash flood hit around early morning July 4; the Texas Division of Emergency Management announced it activated state emergency response resources “in anticipation of increased threats of flooding” on July 2. 

We are in Athens, Greece with our entire family. Children and grandchildren. Guess who was found with his family at the Parthenon yesterday. TED F’ING CRUZ.

[image or embed]

— Tom Rocchio (@rocman41.bsky.social) July 6, 2025 at 8:42 AM

A reverse-image search for the photo returned no results from before July 6, indicating the photo had not been posted before this Bluesky user did. On July 7, the Houston Chronicle reported (archived) that the image’s photographer, Michael Rocchio, told the newspaper that he took the image about 6 p.m. local time in Athens on July 5, which would be about 10 a.m. CST on the same day. The Chronicle reported that Rocchio is “not a Texan and is openly critical of Cruz’s political beliefs.” 

“Thirty minutes later, local officials in Kerr County confirmed in a news conference that 27 people were dead and dozens more were missing. The death count has since grown to more than 80,” the Chronicle’s story said. (As of July 8, over 100 people had been confirmed dead.) 

The news conference in question has a 10:27 a.m. CST time-stamp on the city of Kerrville’s Facebook page, matching up with the Chronicle’s timeline. 

In a reply on Bluesky, @rocman41.bsky.social confirmed that his son took the image about 6 p.m. in Athens and spoke with the Chronicle; the user added he would check if his son would talk to Snopes. This story will be updated if we hear back from Rocchio. 

On July 7, The Daily Beast also published (archived) a story with the headline: “Ted Cruz Caught on Vacation Abroad During Texas Tragedy—Again.” That story included an image of Cruz in which his appearance and clothes looked similar to the photo posted on Bluesky. The Daily Beast cited an anonymous tourist who reportedly said this to the news site: 

“He was with his family and a lone security guard,” said an eyewitness at the Parthenon. “As he walked past us, I simply said, ’20 kids dead in Texas and you take a vacation?’

“He sort of grunted and walked on. His wife shot me a dirty look. Then they continued on with their tour guide.”

The Daily Beast reporters did not immediately return an inquiry seeking to verify the authenticity of their story. 

Snopes has previously confirmed that Cruz flew to Cancun, Mexico, during a winter storm energy crisis. 

Sources

Chau, Nicole Brown. “Maps Show Where Devastating Flash Flooding Hit Texas, Including Camp Mystic.” Cbsnews.com, 7 July 2025, www.cbsnews.com/news/maps-texas-flash-flooding-camp-mystic/. Accessed 8 July 2025.

“City of Kerrville, TX – City Hall.” Facebook.com, 5 July 2025, www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1285022673335098. Accessed 8 July 2025.

Emanuel, Gabrielle. “Here’s a Timeline of the Catastrophic Texas Floods.” NPR, 5 July 2025, www.npr.org/2025/07/05/nx-s1-5457759/texas-floods-timeline. Accessed 8 July 2025.

NWS Austin/San Antonio. “A Very Dangerous Flash Flooding Event Is Ongoing across South-Central Kerr County into Northwest Bandera County, Where 3-7 Inches of Rainfall Has Occurred the Last 2-3 Hours. Heavy Rainfall Continues in This Area and a Flash Flood Warning Is in Effect. Turn Around, Don’t Drown!” X (Formerly Twitter), 4 July 2025, x.com/NWSSanAntonio/status/1941046050162114569. Accessed 8 July 2025.

Rocchio, Tom. ” “All True Two Different Places Was the Old Place the Ori….” Archive.ph, 8 July 2025, archive.ph/nkxij. Accessed 8 July 2025.

—. “”We Are in Athens, Greece with Our Entire Family. Childr….” Bluesky Social, archive.ph, 8 July 2025, archive.ph/GlZaO. Accessed 8 July 2025.

“TDEM Activates State Emergency Response Resources ahead of West, Central Texas Flood Threat.” Texas.gov, 2 July 2025, tdem.texas.gov/press-release/7-2-25. Accessed 8 July 2025.

The Swamp. “Ted Cruz Caught on Vacation Abroad during Texas Tragedy—Again.” The Daily Beast, 7 July 2025, www.thedailybeast.com/ted-cruz-was-vacationing-in-europe-as-emergency-crews-desperately-searched-for-texas-flood-survivors/. Accessed 8 July 2025.

Vertuno, Jim, et al. “Risk of Life-Threatening Flooding Still High in Texas, Death Toll Tops 80.” AP News, 7 July 2025, apnews.com/article/texas-flash-flood-severe-weather-camp-mystic-ef8e596833b145fef61451db92f32609. Accessed 8 July 2025.

Wermund, Benjamin. “Ted Cruz Was on Pre-Planned Greece Vacation When Floods Hit Texas.” Houston Chronicle, 7 July 2025, www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/ted-cruz-greece-20759222.php. Accessed 8 July 2025.