Republican Senators Furious Over Trump’s Texas Endorsement

Republicans are worried they’ll lose the Senate after Trump backed Ken Paxton.

President Trump’s decision to endorse Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate race has left many Republicans fuming.

Paxton, Texas’s scandal-plagued attorney general, is in a runoff in the state’s Republican primary against incumbent John Cornyn, who has the support of many of his Senate colleagues. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska reportedly told The Hill that she was “supremely disappointed” by Trump’s endorsement, adding, “I don’t understand it.”

Murkowski also said that Republicans will likely have a tougher time retaining the seat against Democratic nominee James Talarico, who is polling very well.

“Based on the numbers that I’ve seen, yeah,” Murkowski said regarding the risk that the GOP will lose the Senate. “How does that help strengthen the president’s hand when we lose a state like Texas?”

Senator Susan Collins said that she didn’t understand why Trump endorsed Paxton, calling him an “ethically challenged individual” due to his many scandals, which include defrauding investors in a tech startup and an extramarital affair leading to his wife divorcing him on “Biblical grounds.”

“John Cornyn is an outstanding senator and deserved in my judgment the president’s support. Obviously it’s the president’s call but I’m disappointed that he did it,” Collins told The Hill.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who for months tried to lobby Trump to support Cornyn, had a serious expression when reporters asked him Tuesday about the president’s endorsement, only saying, “It’s his decision.” Senator Roger Wicker walked into a lunch meeting with his head bowed and ignored reporters’ questions about the endorsement.

“I’m speechless,” Senator Rob Johnson told CNN’s Manu Raju when asked about Trump’s choice, taking a long pause before answering, adding he “really [has] no comment.”

Unlike his colleagues, Senator Lindsey Graham was optimistic, telling Raju that “You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out the pathway for Paxton is there, but it’s more uphill, and it will cost more.”

In Trump’s own words, “Ken is a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate.” In contrast, while Trump said Cornyn is a “good man, and I worked well with him” the incumbent senator “ was not supportive of me when times were tough” and “was very late in backing me in what turned out to be a Historic Run for the Republican Nomination, and then, the Presidency, itself.”

If Trump’s endorsement propels Paxton to win in next week’s runoff, Democrats may have a better shot at winning the race, as Paxton’s scandals give him a lot in common with the president. But Texas is a strong Republican state that voted for Trump three times, so nothing is certain.

Epstein Survivors Blast Todd Blanche for Lying Under Oath

The acting attorney general appears to be lying under oath to Congress.

Eighteen survivors of millionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein accused acting Attorney General Todd Blanche of lying under oath on Tuesday during a Senate Appropriations hearing, claiming he met with the survivors and their lawyers when he never did.

“Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has not met with any of us. As survivors, we previously sought a meeting with former Attorney General Bondi and Department of Justice officials, but no meeting occurred,” the survivors said in a statement. “We should not have to be this persistent to engage with DOJ—the department responsible for handling the Epstein files, protecting their privacy, and answering for years of secrecy and failure.”

“We have already reported abuse and allegations involving Epstein and associated perpetrators to the FBI and federal authorities many times over the course of years. We should not be asked to relive their trauma again and again because the system failed to act. The burden is not on us to keep making reports. It is on the DOJ to investigate credible allegations against perpetrators and co-conspirators, and to account for the government’s mishandling of these matters,” they continued. “Given Blanche’s comments, we are again asking DOJ to meet directly with survivors and their counsel not to ask survivors to start over, but to hear their concerns, explain how these failures occurred, and provide clear answers about the release, redaction, and withholding of Epstein-related records going forward.”

Blanche claimed to have met with the survivors and their lawyers during an exchange with Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen.

“I spoke to the representatives of some of the Epstein survivors yesterday. They are extremely frustrated that you keep calling for people to come forward with more evidence, but you have not met with them to hear their stories,” Van Hollen said. “So simple question: If I connect you with these survivors, will you meet with them?”

“Absolutely. And what you just said is false. I have met with them. I’ve met with many of the lawyers for the survivors of victims, as did Attorney General Bondi,” Blanche replied. “So whoever told you that unfortunately gave you bad information. I would encourage them to reach out to the Department of Justice.... We absolutely care for victims and we absolutely wanna hear from them and their lawyers.”

“Well I’ve been told directly,” Van Hollen said. “They have not had a chance, at least this group, to meet with you.”

Now, it’s the word of the president’s former personal lawyer against the word of 18 Epstein survivors.

Van Hollen: Some Epstein survivors are extremely frustrated that you keep calling for people to come forward with more evidence but have not met with them. Blanche: What you said is false. I have met with them. I have met with many of their lawyers. pic.twitter.com/3ycRdIDlGq— Acyn (@Acyn) May 19, 2026

DHS Sec. Tells Religious Groups They’re on Their Own After Shooting

Secretary Markwayne Mullin had some great advice after a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego.

In an interview on Fox News, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin blamed Democrats’ refusal to fund ICE for the mass shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday and said places of worship should “hire their own security.”

“President Trump has assemblied [sic] a great team in Kash Patel, myself, the White House,” Mullin stated. “We work together all the time to work with these religious establishments. We’ve had FEMA grants they can use to help protect themselves. Unfortunately, for the last 76 days we were shut down, so we’re just not getting those grants out, so they have to hire their own security.”

Mullin is twisting the truth here; FEMA, along with the rest of the Department of Homeland Security, was fully funded 19 days ago. FEMA could have been funded far earlier if congressional Republicans agreed to separate ICE funding from the rest of DHS, which was discussed as early as February.

More importantly, though, are grants for more guns and security around places of worship really the way to go to stop shootings? How about, you know, gun control? The thing that’s successfully curbed mass shootings in dozens of other countries around........

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