Trump Says He Has No Regrets Backing Ken Paxton as Leaked Audio Blames Iran War for Texas Senate Struggles

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he has no regrets about endorsing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for the U.S. Senate, even as a new leaked recording put Paxton’s private doubts about his campaign in public view hours before the two were set to appear together in San Antonio, according to the Washington Examiner and CNN.

Speaking to the Washington Examiner in the Oval Office, Trump praised Paxton as a great attorney general who would be a great senator, and said he would have no regrets at all about the endorsement. The president backed Paxton over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary runoff earlier this year, according to both reports.

What the latest recording says, and how the campaign answered

The newest recording, reported by Axios on Wednesday, captured Paxton telling donors and lobbyists last month that the war with Iran and the resulting fuel prices were the biggest drag on his Senate bid, according to the Washington Examiner. CNN reported the same account and noted it has not independently verified the audio.

Paxton’s campaign pushed back by saying the attorney general was stating what Texans already know about pump and grocery prices. Spokeswoman Madison Cercy told CNN that gas and diesel prices are too high, that hardworking Texans are struggling, and that Trump is doing everything he can to bring prices down.

It was at least the third Paxton recording to reach reporters in recent days. Earlier leaks had him telling donors that the Republican midterm convention in Dallas hurt his poll numbers, according to reporting cited by the Examiner, and that Washington exerted unusual control over his Texas campaign, according to reporting cited by the same outlet. Trump defended the convention in response to the first leak, the Examiner reported.

Why Texas is drawing this much attention

The Cook Political Report rates the race between Paxton and Democrat James Talarico as a toss-up, according to the Washington Examiner. CNN reported that Paxton faces a closer-than-expected contest in a state Trump carried by more than 13 points in 2024 and that has not elected a Democrat statewide since 1994, and that Republican groups have spent heavily to shore him up.

Wednesday’s San Antonio event marks Trump’s third Texas trip in less than a month, CNN reported. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was not expected at the Wednesday evening rally, citing scheduling conflicts, and also skipped Trump’s appearance in the state last week, according to CNN.

Reporting based on coverage by CNN and the Washington Examiner.