Sen. Ted Cruz has attempted to clarify his remarks about the Jan. 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol.
Prior to the one-year anniversary of the riots, Cruz described the violence as a "violent terrorist attack" during a hearing in the Senate.
The comments led to criticism from some conservatives, including Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
On Thursday, Cruz went on Carlson's show to address the criticism.
"The way I phrased things yesterday, it was sloppy and it was, frankly, dumb," Cruz told Carlson.
The Fox News host told Cruz he didn't buy that explanation.
Cruz went on to say that he was describing those who violently assaulted police officers as terrorists. He claimed he has referred to those who violently attack police as terrorists for years.
The senator from Texas was among numerous members of Congress who voted to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
