President Donald Trump made a two-rally push in Texas on Tuesday to bolster Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton, while promoting what he described as a shipment of “free” Venezuelan oil arriving in the United States.
Paxton, Texas’ attorney general, is facing Democratic state Representative James Talarico in a closely watched contest in a state that has traditionally been firmly Republican.
Most polls conducted this month have placed Paxton behind Talarico, raising Republican concerns that the Senate seat could be at risk.
Trump began the day in the port city of Corpus Christi, where the oil tanker Angerona was docked nearby.
“We have a little breaking news,” Trump told the crowd. “See that little ship out there? That’s got 1 million barrels of oil on it from Venezuela. And we’re celebrating the greatest oil victory in history. To the victor belong the spoils, right?”
In January, Trump ordered US forces to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, leaving his No. 2, Delcy Rodríguez, in charge. He announced an agreement in August that granted the United States a fifth of Venezuela’s oil, and the first shipment arrived Tuesday.
“But the oil on the ships outside is being provided to the United States at zero cost to the American taxpayer. That’s not bad,” Trump added.
Paxton and other Republican candidates are also confronting political pressure from elevated fuel costs, which Trump attributed to his war with Iran. The national average reached $4.27 per gallon, compared with $3.71 in Texas.
President Donald Trump speaks Tuesday at the first of two Texas rallies, held in Corpus Christi, where he announced that a ship carrying 1 million barrels of “free” Venezuelan oil was docked nearby
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, center right, is in a close US Senate race against Democratic state Representative James Talarico as he contends with earlier corruption scandals and a high-profile separation from his wife
Paxton is also trying to move past earlier controversies, including his 2023 impeachment and a highly publicized separation from his wife following two alleged affairs.
Despite those challenges, Trump portrayed Paxton as one of the nation’s finest attorneys general—and the best Texas has ever had.
“This guy is considered by many to be the best, but whether he’s the best or among the best few … he’s the greatest in the history of Texas,” Trump said.
Trump also revived a series of attacks aimed at Talarico during his Texas appearances.
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“He disappeared for 12 to 14 days,” Trump claimed. “It’s actually probably 14 if you really look at it. Missing in action.”
Talarico was absent from the campaign trail in late September, saying he had the flu. His absence fueled a conspiracy theory that he was receiving mental-health treatment at an Ohio hospital.
The Ohio institution publicly rejected the claim, saying the story was false.
During his Texas rallies, however, Trump suggested that a different explanation was responsible for Talarico’s absence.
“Now, I happen to think he was food poisoned by meat because he can’t stand it,” Trump claimed.
The oil tanker Angerona, carrying Venezuelan crude, is seen near the Corpus Christi site where President Donald Trump held a rally in Texas on Tuesday
President Donald Trump speaks to a crowd in Corpus Christi, Texas on Tuesday, with an oil tanker seen in the background
‘You ever see him go to a barbecue and he’s trying to show, ‘I love the meat, I love it,’ and then you see him, where is he? He’s behind the tent puking. He’s sick as a dog,’ the President said.
Talarico has spoken out publicly about reducing meat consumption, which allowed Paxton to label him a ‘vegan’ in political attacks.
At the rally, Trump said it was his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, who taught him how to say ‘vegan’ properly.
‘You know my wife said, ‘It’s not vay-gan, it’s vegan.’ I don’t know because it’s never been my thing. I really do like the meat,’ Trump said. ‘But she said, ‘Oh, please don’t say vay-gan. It’s vegan.”
‘Well, he’s been a vegan,’ Trump charged. ‘And he’s never going to love meat and he’s never going to love oil and gas and he’s never going to love your Second Amendment and he’s never going to love your children the way you do. It’s a different kind of love.’
Trump then grumbled, ‘It’s too close.’