Trump endorses Ken Paxton in Texas Senate runoff

President Donald Trumphas endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate runoff race.

"The Highly Respected Attorney General of Texas, Ken Paxton, an America First Patriot, and someone who has always been extremely loyal to me and our AMAZING MAGA MOVEMENT, is running for the United States Senate," Trump said in a social media post.

This long-awaited endorsement comes as early voting in Texas started Monday, May 18, for theRepublican U.S. Senate primary runoffbetween Paxton and incumbent John Cornyn, among other runoff elections across the state.

Trump saidin his postthat Cornyn is a "good man," but cited the senator's lack of support for him when "times were tough" and his late backing during Trump's 2024 presidential run as reasons he did not endorse him.

Paxton also took tosocial media,saying he was honored to be endorsed by the president.

"No one has ever fought harder for the American people than President Trump, and I look forward to championing his America First agenda in the Senate!" read Paxton's statement.

Recent pollingin early May shows that Paxton narrowly leads Cornyn in the race, with Election Day being on May 26.

The race between the two to become the Republican nominee has grown increasingly bitter, with each airing several politically and personally charged attack adsover the past few weeks.

While Paxton gained Trump's support today, neither candidate has won the backing of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott,who ruled out endorsing either candidate last week.

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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz have also not endorsed either candidate.

The winner of the runoff election is set to face the Democratic nominee, state Rep. James Talarico, in the November 2026 general election.

Cornyn responds to Trump endorsing Paxton

After Trump announced his endorsement, Sen. Cornyn said he has worked closely with Trump during both presidential terms and voted with him more than 99% of the time in a statement.

"He has consistently called me a friend in this race," read the statement. "It is now time for Texas Republican voters to decide if they want a strong nominee to help our GOP candidates down ballot and defeat Talarico in November, or a weak nominee who jeopardizes everything we care about. I trust the Republican voters of Texas.

A recent poll showsCornyn and Paxton statistically tied in hypothetical general-election matchups against Talarico.

Talarico responds to Trump's endorsement of Paxton

Talarico's camp released a statement on Trump weighing in on the Paxton-Cornyn Republican runoff election, saying it really doesn't matter who wins the runoff election

"We already know who we’re running against: the billionaire mega-donors and their corrupt political system. For decades, John Cornyn and Ken Paxton have embodied a broken politics that enriches wealthy donors while costs skyrocket for the rest of us," read Talarico's statement.

The Democratic nominee noted that his movement to take Texas back for the working people rises above partisan politics.

Mateo Rosiles is the Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and its regional papers in Texas. Got a news tip for him? Email him at mrosiles@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times:Trump endorses Paxton in Texas Senate race

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May 20, 2026

Trump endorses Ken Paxton in Texas Senate runoff

President Donald Trumphas endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate runoff race. "The Highly Respected A...

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Blanche will face questions from lawmakers over a nearly $1.8B fund to compensate Trump allies

WASHINGTON (AP) — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche will appear on Capitol Hill Tuesday for his first congressional testimony since taking the reins at the Justice Department as the law enforcement agency faces intense scrutiny over its plans to create a$1.776 billion fund to pay allies of the Republican presidentwho believe they were targeted politically.

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Blanche's testimony before a Senate appropriations subcommittee follows Monday's announcement about the creation of the “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” which critics decried as an illegal abuse of power designed to line the pockets of Trump supporters with taxpayer dollars.

In the weeks sinceassuming control of the Justice Department, Blanche has moved aggressively to advance the president's priorities —pushing forward casesagainst Trump's political foes, cracking down on leaks to media outlets and establishing the new fund to compensate those who believe they were mistreated by the Biden administration Justice Department.

Tuesday’s hearing is meant to address the Trump administration's budget request for the Justice Department but is likely to delve into other controversies that have escalated concerns about theerosion of the law enforcement agency's tradition of independencefrom the White House.

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Blanche is expected to face tough questions from lawmakers about the fund designed to resolve Trump's lawsuitagainst the Internal Revenue Serviceover the leak of his tax returns. Nearly 100 Democrats in the House of Representatives signed onto a legal brief urging a judge to block what they described as an unprecedented resolution that they said would unjustly enrich people close to the president and open the door to meritless claims of political persecution.

“Let’s call this what it is: a billion-dollar slush fund for Trump to reward felons, insurrectionists, and cronies, paid for by YOUR taxpayer dollars,” Democratic Sen. Chris Coons, a member of the subcommittee from Delaware, wrote on X. “It’s bad enough that this DOJ believes it works for Donald Trump. Now, it’s giving him its budget to use as his piggy bank.”

Blanche said Monday the fund will allow for people who believe they were targeted for prosecution for political purposes to apply for payouts, creating what he described as “a lawful process for victims of lawfare and weaponization to be heard and seek redress.”

“The machinery of government should never be weaponized against any American, and it is this Department’s intention to make right the wrongs that were previously done while ensuring this never happens again,” Blanche said in a statement.

The fund is a further demonstration of the administration’s eagerness to reward allies who before Trump came to power were investigated and in some cases charged and convicted. Most notably,the president on his first day back in office pardoned or commutedthe sentences of supporters who rioted at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His Justice Department since then hasapproved payouts to supporters entangled in the Trump-Russia investigationandinvestigated and prosecuted some of his perceived adversaries.

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May 19, 2026

Blanche will face questions from lawmakers over a nearly $1.8B fund to compensate Trump allies

WASHINGTON (AP) — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche will appear on Capitol Hill Tuesday for his first congressional testimony since ...

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Bubba Wallace's status in No. 23 car for 2027 NASCAR season revealed

Bubba Wallace had a very strong start to the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, but it has fallen apart over the last month. Entering the 2026 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Wallace sits 10th in the point standings, which is a massive drop from second place. So, is the 23XI Racing driver's ride in jeopardy for 2027?

Wallace is in an option year and expected to return to the No. 23 car for 23XI Racing in 2027, asreported by FOX Sports' Bob Pockrass. Since Wallace has a contract option, 23XI Racing must decide on his future in 2026. Quite frankly, it is a very easy choice for the NASCAR team.

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Since 2021, Wallace has brought 23XI Racing to new levels, and his performance on the race track has improved. There are very few drivers who could be an upgrade over the 32-year-old competitor, but replacing him makes no sense anyway. Wallace has found a home at 23XI Racing, and he should be expected to return in 2027.

More:23XI Racing's likely replacement for Riley Herbst in 2027 revealed

This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire:Bubba Wallace's status in No. 23 car for 2027 NASCAR season revealed

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May 19, 2026

Bubba Wallace's status in No. 23 car for 2027 NASCAR season revealed

Bubba Wallace had a very strong start to the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, but it has fallen apart over the last month. Entering the 2...

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Sweden to buy navy frigates from France for over $4 billion

By Johan Ahlander

STOCKHOLM, May 19 (Reuters) - Sweden said on Tuesday it had chosen France's Naval Group to supply four new frigates ‌for its navy, with the first delivery expected in 2030 at ‌a total cost of some 40 billion Swedish crowns ($4.25 billion).

The purchase of the French Defence ​and Intervention (FDI) frigate model will be Sweden's biggest military investment since the 1980s, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told a press conference.

Sweden is racing to build up its military in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the Nordic ‌country's subsequent accession to ⁠NATO, with the new frigates representing a significant expansion of maritime defence capabilities.

The government has requested that several weapons systems ⁠developed in Sweden, including by Saab, can be utilised by the vessels, Defence Minister Pal Jonson said.

Each vessel is expected to cost around 10 billion Swedish ​crowns, ​depending on the exact weapons systems on ​board, with the first delivery ‌expected to take place in 2030, Jonson said.

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The right-wing government, one of Ukraine's staunchest backers in Europe, has said it expects to reach NATO targets for military spending of 3.5% of GDP already in 2030, several years ahead of the alliance's deadline.

The new frigates will be the largest surface ‌warships in Sweden's navy and have an expected ​lifespan of some 40 years, the government ​has previously said.

Naval won the ​race in competition with a joint bid by Britain's ‌Babcock and Saab as well as one ​from Spain's Navantia.

The ​frigates are seen as a key component of Sweden's air defence and protecting the Baltic Sea. In addition to the four frigates Sweden ​has five smaller ‌Visby-class corvettes and is currently upgrading its fleet of submarines.

($1 = 9.4037 ​Swedish crowns)

(Reporting by Johan Ahlander and Soren Jeppesen, editing by Terje ​Solsvik, Essi Lehto and Niklas Pollard)

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May 19, 2026

Sweden to buy navy frigates from France for over $4 billion

By Johan Ahlander STOCKHOLM, May 19 (Reuters) - Sweden said on Tuesday it had chosen France's Naval Group to supply four new ...

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China denounces Taiwan foreign minister's Geneva visit amid WHO assembly

BEIJING/TAIPEI, May 18 (Reuters) - China said on Monday it opposed countries providing platforms for "Taiwan independence separatist" activities, after Taiwan's foreign minister arrived in Switzerland for events on ‌the sidelines of a World Health Organization (WHO) meeting.

China said last week it would once again ‌not allow Taiwan, which Beijing views as its own territory, to take part in the WHO's annual World Health ​Assembly (WHA), which takes place this week.

But as in previous years, Taiwan has sent a delegation to hold its own meetings and this year Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung has also gone, joining Health Minister Shih Chung-liang.

"The Taiwan authorities' practice of sending people around the world to wedge into conferences to grab attention ‌is nothing more than the behaviour ⁠of petty clowns," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters in Beijing.

"It will only bring humiliation on themselves and is doomed to fail," Guo ⁠said.

Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims and says China has no right to represent or speak for the island internationally.

Lin announced his arrival in Geneva on Facebook on Sunday, and on Monday President Lai Ching-te ​sent ​a video message to a forum Taiwan is holding ​in Geneva.

"By joining the WHO, Taiwan could ‌better ensure the right to health for all our people, and do even more to support the rest of the world," Lai said.

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PARTICIPATION BLOCKED SINCE 2017

In his current capacity Lin is not known to have previously visited non-EU member Switzerland, which like most countries maintains formal diplomatic ties with Beijing rather than Taipei and has a free trade agreement with China.

However, since becoming foreign minister ‌in 2024, Lin has made several trips to other ​European countries, including Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, the ​Netherlands and Italy, drawing anger in Beijing.

Taiwan ​attended the WHA as an observer from 2009 to 2016 under the administration ‌of then-President Ma Ying-jeou, who signed landmark ​trade and tourism pacts ​with China.

But Beijing began blocking Taiwan's participation in 2017, after then-President Tsai Ing-wen won office, for her refusal to agree to its position that both China and Taiwan were part ​of "one China".

Lai has continued Tsai's ‌policy.

"International organisations, including the WHO, must handle Taiwan-related issues in accordance with the one-China ​principle," Guo said.

(Reporting by Liz Lee in Beijing and Ben Blanchard in Taipei; Editing ​by Christian Schmollinger, Kate Mayberry and Thomas Derpinghaus)

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May 18, 2026

China denounces Taiwan foreign minister's Geneva visit amid WHO assembly

BEIJING/TAIPEI, May 18 (Reuters) - China said on Monday it opposed countries providing platforms for "Taiwan independence separati...

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Rui Hachimura credits Phil Handy for helping him improve his shooting

When theLos Angeles Lakerstraded for Rui Hachimura in January 2023, he was a young player still looking to establish an identity. The Lakers saw him as a player they could mold into someone who would help them establish an identity and become a winning team.

He played well for the rest of the season and stepped up during the playoffs to help them reach the Western Conference finals. At the time, the scouting report on him was that he was a one-on-one player who was very consistent from the mid-range area. But as time went on, he added a new weapon: the 3-point shot.

In each of the next three seasons, he made over 41% of his 3-point shots. In this year's postseason, he made a stunning 56.9% of his 3-point tries, which gave him the NBA's record for the highest career playoff 3-point accuracy — at least for now — at 51.6%.

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After the Lakers were swept in the Western Conference semifinals by the Oklahoma City Thunder, Hachimurawas askedhow he felt he had changed the most since coming to Los Angeles, and he gave former Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy credit for helping him expand his game beyond the arc.

“Shout out to coach Phil [Handy],” Hachimura said. “Phil Handy, he was the one that talked me through a lot of stuff, what I can do to stay in this league. Not only this team, but stay in this league. I can make an impact on this team, especially.

“The first thing that he talked about is (3-pointers). I think that was the biggest thing for me because, honestly, I don’t like shooting threes. That’s not my thing for me. For me, I don’t really like it. But with the team situation, how (head coach) JJ [Redick] coaches, he wants me to shoot a lot of threes. It was a different game for me, but I had to do it. That was the biggest thing that I think changed.”

Handy, who was on the Lakers' coaching staff from 2019 to 2024, is regarded as arguably the best player development coach in the NBA. Not only did he help Hachimura become the player he is today, but so did LeBron James, whoworked with and mentoredHachimura during the 2023 offseason.

The forward is about to become a free agent this summer after making $18.26 million this season. He recently said that heloves the Lakers, but keeping him may not be easy, as James, Austin Reaves and multiple other Lakers players can or will be free agents as well. Making the math work, not to mention also bringing in at least one outside free agent who can make a difference, will likely be complicated.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire:Rui Hachimura credits Phil Handy for helping him improve his shooting

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May 18, 2026

Rui Hachimura credits Phil Handy for helping him improve his shooting

When theLos Angeles Lakerstraded for Rui Hachimura in January 2023, he was a young player still looking to establish an identity. The L...

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European shares fall as inflation worries grip markets

May 18 (Reuters) - European shares sank on Monday, with oil prices rising and bonds extending ‌their sell-off, as inflation worries continued with ‌no signs of a deal between the U.S. and Iran.

German share price index DAX graph is pictured at the stock exchange in Frankfurt

The pan-European ​STOXX 600 fell 0.7% to 602.52 points, as of 0703 GMT, after ending the previous week lower. Germany's DAX and France's CAC 40 were off 0.5% ‌and 1%, respectively.

A drone ⁠strike caused a fire at a nuclear power plant in the UAE, while ⁠Saudi Arabia reported intercepting three drones, with U.S. President Donald Trump warning that Iran must act "fast".

The U.S.-Israel ​war on ​Iran is in its ​third month, with Tehran ‌and Washington unable to come to a resolution as the vital Strait of Hormuz remains shuttered. Rising energy prices have fanned inflation fears and led to expectations of rate hikes from global central banks.

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European ‌equities, with the region's dependence ​on oil imports, have been ​unable to catch up ​to pre-war levels while global indexes ‌have rebounded on AI-led optimism.

In ​early trading, ​AstraZeneca dipped 0.8%. The drugmaker's hypertension pill was approved in the U.S.

Sonova gained 4.1% after the ​world's biggest hearing ‌aid maker forecast higher sales and earnings ​for the 2026/27 financial year.

(Reporting by Twesha Dikshit; ​Editing by Harikrishnan Nair)

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May 18, 2026

European shares fall as inflation worries grip markets

May 18 (Reuters) - European shares sank on Monday, with oil prices rising and bonds extending ‌their sell-off, as inflation worries con...

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