President Trump accuses Cornyn of betraying MAGA movement after endorsing Paxton in high-stakes Texas Senate race
Texas – President Donald Trump has dramatically escalated the Republican Senate battle in Texas after publicly accusing Senator John Cornyn of betraying the MAGA movement while throwing his support behind Attorney General Ken Paxton in one of the most closely watched primaries in the country.
The endorsement landed only days before Republican voters headed to the polls Tuesday, instantly transforming the race into a direct loyalty test centered around Trump, election policy, and the future direction of the GOP in Texas.
Trump used Truth Social to rally conservatives behind Paxton while aggressively attacking Cornyn for what he described as a failure to fully support key MAGA priorities, especially the SAVE America Act.
“TEXAS, REMEMBER! Ken Paxton was a GREAT Attorney General, probably the best in the Country. He was also very loyal to your favorite President, ME, as the Dumocrats played their ultimate game of Weaponization, and failed, BADLY! I LOVE Texas, and WON it all three times, getting, by far, the highest (A Record!) Vote in the History of that Great & Beautiful State,” Trump posted.
The former president then directly targeted Cornyn’s relationship with the MAGA movement. “Ken’s opponent was VERY disloyal to me, as President, and didn’t fight hard enough for the desperately needed SAVE AMERICA ACT – VOTER I.D., PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP, NO MAIL-IN BALLOTS (with exceptions for Military, Illness, Disability, or Travel!). What more needs to be said??? Vote for Ken Paxton on Tuesday, HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!!!”
The endorsement immediately intensified an already bitter race that has increasingly turned into a battle between traditional Senate Republicans and Trump-aligned populists.
Paxton made loyalty to Trump central to campaign
For months, Paxton has openly built his campaign around his relationship with Trump and his support for the former president’s election-related policies.
Critics argued Paxton aggressively promoted the SAVE America Act largely to secure Trump’s backing in the race. The legislation has become one of Trump’s favorite political causes because it focuses heavily on voter ID requirements, proof of citizenship, and restrictions on mail-in voting.
Earlier this year, Paxton elevated the issue repeatedly while portraying himself as one of Trump’s most loyal allies nationwide. “The Save America Act is the most important bill the U.S. Senate could ever pass, and I’m committed to helping President Trump get it done. I would consider dropping out of this race if Senate Leadership agrees to lift the filibuster and passes the SAVE America Act,” Paxton wrote in March.
He later went even further while defending his loyalty to Trump personally. “The truth is clear: No one has been more loyal to Donald Trump than me—fighting the stolen 2020 election, being in Mar-a-Lago when he announced his 2024 campaign, and standing with him in NY in the face of lawfare.”
That strategy now appears to have paid off with Trump’s endorsement arriving at the most critical stage of the race.
Still, the endorsement has also deepened concerns among some Republicans who fear Paxton could become a major liability in the general election.
Republicans warn endorsement could backfire
Several Senate Republicans reportedly worry that nominating Paxton could create an opening for Democrats later this year, especially if Democrat James Talarico enters the race.
Those concerns exploded publicly after Senator Thom Tillis delivered a brutal assessment of Paxton during an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper. “To call Paxton ethically challenged is to call Jeffrey Dahmer suffering from an eating disorder,” Tillis said. “This guy is an empty suit and will do us no service by being in the U.S. Congress.”
Tillis then shifted toward defending Cornyn, portraying the longtime senator as a reliable conservative who had earned another term. “I hope that Texans realize how tough [incumbent Senator] John Cornyn is, how pro-Second Amendment he is, how pro-limited government he is, how pro-America first he is. And when they go to the polls on Tuesday, I hope that they know that they have got a great American who deserves reelection, and the other guy is going to be nothing but an anchor on our conference for as long as he’s in the U.S. Senate.”
The increasingly personal attacks reflect a much deeper divide inside the Republican Party. Cornyn represents the older Senate establishment wing of the GOP, while Paxton has positioned himself as part of Trump’s more confrontational MAGA movement where personal loyalty often matters as much as policy itself.
Trump’s late intervention also demonstrates how much influence he still holds over Republican primaries, particularly in Texas, where his support remains extremely powerful among conservative voters.
What began as a standard Senate primary has now evolved into a larger political fight about who truly represents the MAGA movement — and whether Republican voters still prioritize establishment experience or Trump-style loyalty politics above everything else.
