Wednesday, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) weighed in on the National Basketball Association (NBA) apologizing to communist China after the Houston Rockets’ general manager expressed support for the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong in a now-deleted tweet.

Cruz said in his appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that China’s pressure on the NBA is an example of how the country “tries to use economic coercion and blackmail” to force American companies to “engage in censorship.”

“There is big money in China,” Cruz explained. “The NBA, NBA teams make a whole lot of money broadcasting in China, having subscriptions, having online subscriptions, having fans there. That being said, I think this really shows how China tries to use economic coercion and blackmail to get American companies to engage in censorship.”

“The NBA should be better than that,” he added on the league caving to China’s pressure.

Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent