Update, March 31: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas has weighed in on a scuffle between President Donald Trump and the president of the European Union’s executive arm, a spat that name-checked Austin.

"I think petty jabs from European leaders are not helpful," Cruz said, according to the Washington Examiner.

Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, on Thursday said that if Trump didn’t stop publicly supporting the withdrawal of countries like Britain from the European Union, he would “promote the independence of Ohio and Austin, Texas.”

"My simple message to Juncker is: Don't mess with Texas,” Cruz said.



?Earlier: Maybe talks of a “Texit” were thinking too big. On Thursday, the president of the European Union’s executive arm said he might advocate that Austin itself secede from the United States.

“The newly elected US president was happy that the Brexit was taking place and has asked other countries to do the same,” European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said Thursday, according to the Associated Press, adding that “if he goes on like that, I am going to promote the independence of Ohio and Austin, Texas.”

The comment from Juncker came in response to President Donald Trump’s public support of Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union, aka “Brexit.” Trump has backed the principal of other nations seceding from the EU, according to The Independent.



SAN GILJAN, MALTA - MARCH 30: Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, arrives for the European People's Party (EPP) Congress on March 30, 2017 in San Giljan, Malta. The EPP, which includes many European Christian democratic parties, is bringing together leaders from across Europe for a two-day congress. Europe is facing a new reality since yesterday, when Great Britain officially triggered Article 50 to leave the European Union. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Britain this week formally began the process of withdrawing from the European Union, following through on last year’s Brexit vote.

RELATED: Twitter takes on Texas secession after Brexit vote with #Texit

This isn’t the first time Brexit conversation has touched the Lone Star State, though talk of a “Texit” historically focuses on a statewide retreat from the U.S. (Not that there aren’t plenty of Texans who would like to see Austin excuse itself from the state.) There is a very real Texas secession movement, supported by groups like the Texas Nationalist Movement, though there is no widespread popular support. In June, Gov. Greg Abbott dismissed the idea of a Texit, saying “what Texans believe in is that we need the United States to be more like Texas.”

And what about Trump himself? Days after the Brexit vote, a reporter asked the then-candidate about talk of a Texas secession.

“Texas will never do that because Texas loves me,” Trump said.