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.

Cruz was captured queuing up to visit the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, on Saturday afternoon local time, after Texas authorities had already announced 24 deaths from the catastrophic flash floods in the Texas Hill Country and Gov. Greg Abbott (R) had signed a disaster declaration to aid the response.

Texas’ junior senator was visiting Greece Friday when the Texas flood turned deadly. Cruz, who did not return until Sunday night, communicated with officials from Athens.