If you go to the source, there is a video of Cruz saying exactly what is reported here.
Much appreciated. I went to the link, but my browser doesn't automatically pick up the videos.
My "if we believe" caveat is generic, sort of a rule of skepticism. Sometimes more, sometimes less skepticism is warranted. I don't trust ANY news report! But usually the ramifications of trusting anyway are negligible, and certainly no harm in adopting a report as true at least for talking purposes.