Trump Jr. Praises Ken Paxton After Trump Rebuke — Trump Reportedly Nearing Cornyn Endorsement

Donald Trump Jr. publicly praised Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday, a day after former President Donald Trump scolded the senator hopeful and signaled he would soon endorse a candidate in the Texas GOP Senate primary.

Paxton and incumbent Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) are headed to a Republican runoff this fall. Multiple reports indicate Trump is likely to endorse Cornyn, who many Republicans view as the stronger general-election nominee amid ongoing legal and ethics scrutiny surrounding Paxton.

On Truth Social this week, Trump urged a quick resolution to the primary and said he would soon announce his endorsement, adding that he expects the candidate he does not back to drop out so the party can focus on the general election.

Paxton responded on X with a forceful post tying any decision to exit the race to progress on a top priority for Trump: the Save America Act. In full, Paxton wrote:

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.

John Cornyn is a coward who has refused to support abolishing the filibuster to pass this bill. Now, Fake News reporters and the establishment are trying to destroy me with misinformation.

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 New York amid lawfare.

For the good of our country and for the good of passing President Trump’s agenda, I am determined to help him get this done.

Trump Jr. celebrated Paxton’s stance on social media, calling it a “total commitment” to legislation he described as essential to preserving the republic. His praise came despite his father’s recent rebuke of Paxton and signals that Trump may back Cornyn.

Trump Jr. has a history of criticizing Cornyn. In 2023 and early 2024 he accused Cornyn and other Senate leaders of supporting funding packages for Ukraine and of pursuing leadership ambitions that run counter to the MAGA wing’s priorities.

The runoff will test whether Trump’s endorsement, if delivered, can unify the party behind Cornyn or whether Paxton’s appeals to Trump-aligned voters and his public loyalty will keep him competitive.