Newsweek Writer Deletes Tweet ‘Calling Ted Cruz A Nazi’

UPDATE: 1:52 p.m.: A senior writer for Newsweek apologized Wednesday after tweeting that Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and his supporters were Nazis.

The reporter, Alexander Nazaryan, covers a range of topics including the 2016 GOP race, higher education, and technology. He has since deleted the tweet, which showed people marching with flags bearing swastikas in reference to the Cruz campaign’s “ground game”:

And here’s what he deleted @TwitchyTeam @Newsweek @alexnazaryan pic.twitter.com/Ula6kHIx4p

— Aaron Worthing (@AaronWorthing) January 6, 2016

Nazaryan then apologized for “calling Ted Cruz a Nazi”:

I deleted my tweet calling Ted Cruz a Nazi. Not fair to his totally decent supporters, as much as I dislike the man himself.

— Alexander Nazaryan (@alexnazaryan) January 6, 2016

Newsweek editor in chief Jim Impoco said in a statement to TPM that Nazaryan’s tweet was “outside” of the publication’s social media policy.

“He has since deleted the tweet and I would like to express on behalf of Newsweek our disappointment that this occurred and reiterate that this does not align with our editorial values,” Impoco continued in the statement. “I apologize for any doubt that this might have cast on Newsweek’s editorial integrity or credibility. We’ve addressed the situation with Alexander and the rest of the staff and will be reviewing and reiterating our social media policy in coming days.”

Rosie Gray, a reporter for BuzzFeed News, tweeted Wednesday that Cruz was asked to respond to Nazaryan’s post at an event in Iowa:

Ted Cruz being asked about @alexnazaryan Nazi tweet right now in Iowa. Says ppl fed up with “so called impartial journalists”

— Rosie Gray (@RosieGray) January 6, 2016

h/t: The Washington Post