Trump Mixes Praise and Barbs for Ken Paxton at Texas Campaign Event
Goldlaner.com – President Donald Trump highlighted his complicated but politically important alliance with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Thursday, offering strong praise for the Republican Senate candidate while also joking that Paxton can be difficult to deal with.
Speaking in Denton, Texas, Trump said Paxton had stood firmly beside him during past controversies and criticism. But the president paired that endorsement with a familiar style of public teasing aimed at an ally whose Senate campaign has become a major priority for Texas Republicans.
“And I have to always remember that because he could be a pain in the ass sometimes. I’ll be honest.”
Trump’s comment followed a more serious expression of appreciation for Paxton’s loyalty. He said the Texas attorney general had been “at my side more than anybody” when Trump faced attacks in the past.
A campaign relationship marked by public jokes
The Denton appearance continued a pattern in which Trump has promoted Paxton’s candidacy while making fun of him in front of audiences. Trump backed Paxton in the Republican primary despite the availability of a candidate viewed as a less risky choice for the party, and he has generally worked to strengthen Paxton’s standing in the closely watched Senate contest.
His support, however, has frequently come with personal jabs. Trump has previously commented on Paxton’s manner of speaking and his clothing choices. At the GOP’s midterm convention, held in Paxton’s home state, the president made Paxton and his race a notable part of his remarks.
“Some may not like the way he dresses,” Trump said, later adding: “I don’t.”
Paxton has not publicly responded in kind to Trump’s insults. The exchanges have instead unfolded as an unusual combination of mockery and endorsement, with Trump often following a joke with compliments about Paxton’s work as attorney general or his loyalty to the president.
For voters watching the Senate race, the dynamic illustrates the importance of Trump’s backing within the Republican coalition. The president’s appearances and statements can give candidates significant visibility, even when his comments are blunt or unpredictable. Paxton’s approach has been to avoid an open clash with Trump while benefiting from the president’s support.
Private concerns after the convention
Trump’s Denton remarks came one day after leaked audio brought attention to Paxton’s private concerns about the political impact of the midterm convention. In the recording, Paxton spoke with conservative donors and lobbyists and suggested that the event had hurt polling figures rather than helping candidates.
“So, to be honest with you, the numbers – when we did that convention – it dropped our numbers,” Paxton said. “Everybody’s numbers dropped. Right now, yeah, not good.”
The comments stood in contrast to the high-profile focus on Paxton at the convention and raised questions about whether the gathering delivered the political boost his campaign had hoped to receive. Campaign events can attract national attention and energize supporters, but candidates also measure their effects through polling, fundraising, volunteer activity and turnout prospects.
Trump said Thursday that he had not spoken with Paxton after the audio became public. Earlier in the day, when asked by CNN’s Kristen Holmes whether he had contacted the Texas attorney general, Trump answered simply:
“No, I haven’t.”
When reporters raised the recording during an Oval Office event on Wednesday afternoon, Trump said he had not heard it. At the Denton event, he appeared briefly uncertain whether Paxton was in attendance before spotting him in the crowd.
“Is he here?” Trump said. “By the way – oh, there he is. Good. I didn’t even know if he’s here.”
Support remains central to the Texas race
Later Thursday, Trump held a rally in Oklahoma, where he played a clip involving one of his supporters. The person was asked about the leaked Paxton audio and whether Republicans remained committed to the president. The response was unequivocal:
“100%… Get on the Trump train.”
The clip reinforced the message Trump has emphasized throughout his political activity: personal disputes, awkward moments and criticism inside the Republican Party do not necessarily weaken his hold on supporters. In Paxton’s case, Trump’s remarks suggest that he continues to view the Texas candidate as an ally, even as the president openly jokes about his shortcomings.
Paxton’s Senate campaign now faces the challenge of translating that alliance into sustained voter confidence. Trump’s endorsement remains a valuable asset in a Republican primary environment, but the leaked audio has placed additional attention on Paxton’s assessment of the convention and his campaign’s numbers.
Thursday’s events left the relationship largely unchanged in public view. Trump offered Paxton the kind of praise that signals continued support, while also delivering another cutting joke before a Texas audience. Paxton, for his part, remained aligned with the president and did not answer the criticism publicly.
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