In what many see as a nod to loyalty over legal controversy, former President Donald Trump has indicated he might pick Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for the role of U.S. attorney general if he manages a comeback to the Oval Office. Trump dubbed Paxton "a very talented guy," during an interview with KDFW-TV on Saturday. "He's very, very talented. I mean, we have a lot of people that want that one and will be very good at it. But he's a very talented guy," Trump stated, as reported by The Texas Tribune.
Paxton, a staunch Trump ally who attempted to overturn the 2020 election results in four key states, has been embroiled in legal battles during his tenure as Texas' top lawyer. Despite these controversies, Trump threw his support behind Paxton, crediting his own intervention on his Truth Social platform for Paxton's acquittal in an impeachment trial by the Texas Senate. Following the verdict, Trump claimed, "I fought for him when he had the difficulty and we won," during his talk at the National Rifle Association’s annual convention in Dallas, as CBS Austin reports.
Notably, Paxton's legal woes have lessened in recent months, with prosecutors dropping three felony counts of securities fraud in March. However, his critics maintain that the cloud of a federal investigation for similar accusations and a whistleblower lawsuit remain as stains on his record. If nominated for U.S. attorney general, Paxton's confirmation by the U.S. Senate promises to be a contentious process, given the current narrow Democratic majority and the outspoken opposition from influential Republicans such as Sen. John Cornyn of Texas.
While Trump's consideration of Paxton has drawn attention, the former president has also eyed other Texas Republicans for his potential administration. Gov. Greg Abbott made Trump’s shortlist for possible vice presidential candidates, speaking to a pattern of returning to familiar faces and allies noted by political observers. Abbott, though, has publicly shown a lack of interest towards the vice presidency. With these political chess moves, Trump seems poised to reassert his influence on the national stage, betting on established loyalties to pave his path back to power.
