A video where a young Ted Cruz jokes about his desire for world domination surfaced over the weekend.
Cruz, then a senior at Second Baptist School in Houston, jokes about his aspirations in the video. “Take over the world, world domination, you know, rule everything,” Cruz replies when questioned about his aspirations. “Rich, powerful, that sort of stuff.”
The future Texas Senator appears to be about 18 years old in a 30-second clip that found its way on YouTube Saturday, posted under the username Young Ted Cruz. The author told Politico that the video was provided by a high school classmate of Cruz, who wished to remain anonymous.
A week out from the Iowa Caucus, the Cruz campaign took a moment away from attacking front-runner Donald Trump to laugh. When asked about the clip spokesman Rick Tyler told Politico, “Good to see he’s always had a great sense of humor.”
And that humor shines, especially when Cruz plays dumb at the start of the video, sharing a well-timed joke. “Aspirations, is that like sweat on my butt?” Cruz opens. “No no, oh I see, what you want me to do; what I want to do in life.”
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Donald Trump Is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year
- Why We Chose Trump as Person of the Year
- Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You?
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- The 20 Best Christmas TV Episodes
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Contact us at letters@time.com