The father of Republican Senator Ted Cruz told tea party members that the United States is a "Christian nation" and that President Barack Obama should "go back to Kenya," Mother Jones reported.
Footage of the senator's father, Rafael Cruz, was published online last year before elections, urging people in the crowd to only vote for Republicans.
He said Obama, who he referred to as an "outright Marxist," was out to "destroy all concept of God."
The elder Cruz, who is a Texas-based pastor, is not new to making controversial claims. At a gathering in Hood County in April, he condemned "social justice."
"Social justice is a cancer. Social justice means you are ruled by whatever the mob does. What social justice does is destroy individual responsibility," he said.
Earlier this month, he told a group of Republicans in Colorado that the president vowed to "side with the Muslims" and said "It is time we stop being politically correct!"
"One of the things in Obamacare is that for the elderly, every five years you must have end-of-life counseling. Translation: suicide counseling," he added.
He also said the legalization of gay marriage was a ploy to "make government your God."
When Mother Jones contacted Cruz's office about his father's remarks, they initially asked for citations. Once they were provided, they defended his comments.
"These selective quotes, taken out of context, mischaracterize the substance of Pastor Cruz's message. Like many Americans, he feels America is on the wrong track." said Cruz spokesman Sean Rushton, adding, "Pastor Cruz does not speak for the senator."
When Cruz was elected as senator in November 2012, he called his dad his "hero" who has been his "entire life."
