Trump denounces Massie as worst congressman during six-state polling

Donald Trump has thrown his weight behind Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate primary, endorsing the scandal-scarred attorney general over the veteran Republican incumbent John Cornyn and boosting Paxton’s chances of securing the party’s nomination in the May 26 runoff.

In a lengthy post on Truth Social, the US president described Paxton as a “true MAGA Warrior” who “has ALWAYS delivered for Texas” and called him “a WINNER”. Trump highlighted Paxton’s support for ending the Senate filibuster and for the Save America Act, which he claimed polls at 87 per cent approval but “can’t seem to get approved”. The Save America Act and the filibuster, Trump argued, were essential to prevent Democrats from adding new states, expanding the Supreme Court and “giving us two extra States, D.C. and Puerto Rico”.

Trump’s endorsement came with a pointed critique of Cornyn, whom he described as “a good man” but “not supportive of me when times were tough”. He added that the senator was “very late in backing me” in his presidential campaigns. The president’s reasoning underscored a long-running grievance with Cornyn, who has held his Senate seat since 2002 and is seen as part of the old guard of the Republican party. Paxton, by contrast, has positioned himself as a hardline loyalist, and his campaign has echoed Trump’s “America First” agenda.

The Texas runoff was triggered after neither Paxton nor Cornyn secured a majority in a three-way March primary. Both candidates had tried to align themselves as closely as possible with Trump, but some Republican leaders expressed concern that Paxton’s legal troubles and polarising reputation could endanger a seat the party has held comfortably for decades. Trump said in March that he would ask the candidate he did not endorse to drop out of the race, which has become one of the most expensive Senate primary contests in the nation.

Paxton, who faces a series of legal challenges, welcomed the endorsement in a post on X, saying he was “incredibly honored” and looked forward to championing Trump’s agenda in the Senate. The eventual winner of the runoff will take on Democratic nominee James Talarico, a state lawmaker and Presbyterian seminarian who has actively appealed to independents and moderates in a state long dominated by Republicans.

Primary Battles Across Six States

The Texas contest is just one of several primaries taking place that are testing Trump’s influence within the Republican party. In Kentucky, the race to replace retiring Senate leader Mitch McConnell has drawn Trump’s endorsement for Congressman Andy Barr, whom he called someone who “knows what it takes to GET THINGS DONE”. Barr faces former Kentucky attorney general Daniel Cameron in the primary. Trump also launched a tirade against sitting congressman Thomas Massie, calling him the “worst and most unreliable Republican Congressman in the history of our Country” and backing his challenger, Ed Gallrein. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared in Kentucky on Monday to support Gallrein, speaking as a “private citizen” and describing him as a “warfighter”. On the Democratic side, Charles Booker and Amy McGrath are vying for their party’s nomination.

In Georgia, primaries are being held for both a Senate seat and the governorship. Trump has not yet endorsed in the Senate race, where contenders include Congressmen Mike Collins and Buddy Carter and former football coach Derek Dooley – the latter endorsed by outgoing Republican Governor Brian Kemp. For governor, Trump has endorsed Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, while the Democratic field includes former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and former Republican lieutenant governor Geoff Duncan.

Alabama’s primary schedule has been rearranged, with voters selecting candidates for only three of the state’s seven House districts today; the rest will be decided in August. The gubernatorial election to replace term-limited Kay Ivey is the most closely watched race, with Senator Tommy Tuberville the frontrunner and former Senator Doug Jones expected to take the Democratic nomination. Congressman Barry Moore leads the Republican field to replace Tuberville, and both Tuberville and Moore have Trump’s endorsement.

In Pennsylvania, Democrats are hoping to reclaim two swing House districts they lost in 2024. In the seventh district, primary voters will choose between firefighter’s union leader Bob Brooks, former federal prosecutor Ryan Crosswell, former county executive Lamont McClure and former aide Carol Obando-Derstine. The winner will take on Republican Congressman Ryan Mackenzie. In the eighth district, Scranton mayor Paige Cognetti faces no major challengers in her bid to unseat Republican Rob Bresnahan Jr. The tenth district sees county commissioner Justin Douglas competing against former broadcast anchor Janelle Stelson for the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican Scott Perry. Democrats also aim to oust moderate Republican Brian Fitzpatrick in the first district, with county commissioner Bob Harvie and former congressional science advisor Lucia Simonelli vying for the nomination. In Philadelphia’s third district, three ideologically distinct candidates are competing to replace retiring Representative Dwight Evans.

Oregon’s gubernatorial primary is another closely watched contest. Democratic Governor Tina Kotek faces nine primary challengers amid lacklustre approval ratings, while 14 Republicans are standing, including former NBA player Chris Dudley, state senator Christine Drazan, state representative Ed Diehl and county commissioner Danielle Bethell. In Idaho, the GOP is expected to sweep its seats; Governor Brad Little and Senator Jim Risch are both running for re-election and have far more campaign cash than their primary challengers.

White House and Other Campaign Developments

Alongside the primaries, Trump made headlines with an impromptu news conference at the construction site of his planned White House ballroom. He said the project, which he claimed is privately funded by “Patriots” and companies, has doubled in size since its inception and is within budget and timeline, though research indicates the cost has escalated to $400 million from an initial estimate of $200 million. Trump said the structure – built six stories underground with a drone-proof roof – is “really being built for other presidents” and is his “gift to the United States of America”. The project has faced legal challenges from historic preservationists, with a federal judge ordering a halt to aboveground work, but that order was stayed pending an appeal.

The president also discussed foreign policy, saying he felt confident the US could reach a diplomatic deal with Cuba, which he called a “failed nation”, and that he wanted to help the Cuban people. On Iran, Trump said he was “within an hour” of resuming bombing but had given negotiators until the weekend or early next week to reach a deal. He added that he “won’t let the world be blown up on my watch”.

In a separate development, the US government announced it would increase the number of white South Africans admitted as refugees from about 7,500 to 17,500, claiming an “emergency refugee situation” created by “unforeseen developments”. Trump has repeatedly made false claims of a “white genocide” in South Africa, which the country’s government has furiously rebutted. The State Department sent Congress an emergency notice detailing the new quota. The US began admitting white South Africans as refugees in May 2025, while suspending refugee settlement for people fleeing war and persecution in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan.

Police in California are investigating a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego as a hate crime. Two teenage gunmen, aged 17 and 18, killed three men at the mosque complex before being found dead in a car from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds. The FBI is seeking public information, and authorities said “hate rhetoric” was involved. The security guard at the mosque has been credited with heroic actions that may have prevented further loss of life.

The Justice Department announced the creation of a $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund” as part of a settlement to resolve Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns. The fund is intended to compensate individuals who claim they were targets of a “weaponized” justice system. Trump and his family are excluded from direct monetary compensation but will receive a formal apology. Democrats and ethics watchdogs have criticised the fund as a “slush fund” for the president’s allies.

Trump also expanded his TrumpRx.gov platform to include over 600 generic medications, allowing consumers to compare cash prices and insurance co-pays. The administration said the move increases the number of drugs available on the site by nearly seven times. Meanwhile, Trump called for a Justice Department investigation into an error by a mail-in ballot vendor in Maryland that resulted in some voters receiving ballots for the wrong party. He accused Democratic Governor Wes Moore of allowing the error to benefit Democrats, but the Maryland State Board of Elections stated it was a vendor error and that replacement ballots are being sent to affected voters.

Efforts to reshape South Carolina’s congressional districts got their first full airing in the state House on Monday, with lawmakers debating Trump’s push for a map that could give Republicans a clean sweep. In California, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi endorsed San Francisco supervisor Connie Chan to fill the seat Pelosi will vacate at the end of her term.