Trump Humiliates John Cornyn With Paxton Endorsement

Summary

Episode Overview

Title: Trump Humiliates John Cornyn With Paxton Endorsement
Date: May 20, 2026
Host: Tim Miller, The Bulwark

This episode dives into Donald Trump’s decision to endorse Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate primary—a move seen as a public humiliation for sitting Senator John Cornyn. Tim Miller offers sharp analysis on the implications for the Texas race, the changing dynamics within GOP politics, and Trump’s ongoing sway over the party. Later in the episode, the discussion pivots to the impact of Trump’s misinformation campaign around mail-in ballots and broader concerns for election integrity in other states.

---

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Trump’s Endorsement of Ken Paxton: A Major Blow to John Cornyn

• Breaking News & Political Context:
  Trump's endorsement of Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate primary—while Tim Miller was live on MSNBC—signals the former president's desire to shore up his MAGA base and further ostracize dissenters within the GOP.
  (00:01–00:28)

• Implications for the Texas Senate Race:

  • "I think it's good news, mildly, for Talarico. It's still going to be an uphill battle. I think that it's telling that Donald Trump feels the need that he needs to shore up support with his MAGA base." (Tim Miller, 00:13)

  • Miller highlights that while Trump’s move slightly benefits Democratic contender Talarico by sowing GOP chaos, it won’t be easy for Talarico to capitalize fully.

---

2. The Humiliation of John Cornyn

• Mocking Cornyn’s Attempts to Appease Trump:

  • Through satire and references to Cornyn’s old campaign video (“Big Bad John”), Miller paints Cornyn’s desperate efforts to win Trump’s favor as not just futile but “embarrassingly humiliating.”

    • Memorable Moment: Miller parodies the “Big Bad John” song and describes Cornyn as groveling for Trump’s support.

      "Big Bad John has been laying prostrate before the President of the United States, licking his feet, saying, yes, sir, Mr. Trump, sir. Whatever you need, sir. I'll be wee Little John for you."
      (Tim Miller, 01:40)

  • Cornyn’s Overtures to Trump:

    • Shared anecdotes of Cornyn posting selfies reading The Art of the Deal and proposing a bill to name a Texas highway for Trump.

      "In order to make Trump happy, said Sir, I have a new bill that will upgrade one of the nation's longest highways here in Texas...and we are going to rename that highway after you. Texas is Trump country. And this bill cements POTUS legacy by designating 1800 miles of open road to forever be known as the Trump Interstate."
      (Tim Miller, 02:39)

      • Followed by Cornyn’s praise calling Trump "the most effective and influential president in our lifetime." (03:49)

  • Explicit Language and Tone:

    • Miller doesn’t pull punches:

      "He still got fucking boned. He still got stomped on like a little bug. Like a wee little bug."
      (Tim Miller, 04:10)

    • Miller paints Cornyn as knowingly complicit with Trump despite disagreeing on key issues, purely for self-preservation.

• Takeaway:

  • Cornyn’s sycophancy yielded no reward, illustrating not just Trump’s grip on the party but Cornyn’s diminished standing (“small, weak John”)

---

3. The State of the Texas GOP and Paxton’s Rise

• Paxton as the ‘Rightful Embodiment’ of Texas Republicans:
  • Highlighting the party’s embrace of a “corrupt grifter and total moral disgrace” (referring to Paxton), Miller frames the endorsement as a natural move for today’s Texas GOP.

    • "And now it's a unapologetic, corrupt grifter and somebody who's just a total moral disgrace, who is the rightful embodiment of the Texas Republican Party."
      (Tim Miller, 05:17)

  • The race now pivots to a matchup between Paxton and James Talarico.

---

4. Trump, Election Misinformation, and Broader Impacts

• Maryland’s Governor Wes Moore Responds to Election Doubts:

  • As the podcast pivots to national issues, the theme of Trump seeding mistrust in vote-by-mail surfaces.

    • "[Marylanders] should look to the State Board of Elections for accurate information, not social media misinformation designed to undermine confidence in our elections."
      (Gov. Wes Moore quoted, 05:37)

• Miller’s Analysis of Trump’s Election Tactics:

  • Miller notes that Trump’s false claims about mail-in voting haven’t yet caused harm in Maryland but could be effective in closer, more crucial states come fall.

    • "There are going to be very important elections that are held via mail and ballot. California's heavily mail. Colorado, some of the key House races are in states that use a lot of mail."
      (Tim Miller, 06:10)

  • Trump’s pattern is called out:

    • "He will only do it if they lose and he won't do it if they win. We know the playbook by now." (Tim Miller, 06:30)

  • Miller also discusses the new $1.8 billion “slush fund” for supposed Justice Department “victims,” suggesting that current targets like Wes Moore should apply to highlight the Trump administration’s corruption.

---

5. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Satirical recap of Cornyn’s transformation:

  "I'm no longer Big bad John. I'm Trump's little bitty John. Whatever you want, sir. Whatever you want. And it got him nothing."
  (Tim Miller, 03:49)

• On Trump’s election tactics:

  "This is just Trump trying to create a stir. And you know he's going to continue to do that over and over again, and he will only do it if they lose and he won't do it if they win. We know the playbook by now."
  (Tim Miller, 06:30)

• On the upcoming Texas Senate race:

  "And he will represent them as their nominee for Senate against James Talarico. We'll see how that turns out."
  (Tim Miller, 05:27)

---

Important Timestamps

• 00:01–00:28 — Setup: Trump’s endorsement of Paxton and immediate implications
• 01:06–03:00 — Satirical takedown of Cornyn’s efforts to win Trump’s favor
• 03:49 — Cornyn’s flattery of Trump and the futility of it all
• 04:21–05:27 — Cornyn’s complicity and humiliation dissected
• 05:17 — Paxton as the emblem of today's Texas GOP
• 05:35–06:30 — Maryland’s election, Trump’s misinformation, and what’s at stake nationwide

---

Conclusion

Tim Miller’s commentary in this episode delivers an unflinching, often biting critique of both John Cornyn’s failed pandering and the Texas GOP’s trajectory under Trump’s sway. Miller connects the humiliation of Cornyn to larger Republican dynamics while also warning listeners of upcoming battles over electoral legitimacy—a playbook, he notes, the audience should now recognize. The episode straddles sharp satire and political analysis, providing context and color for anyone following the 2026 election storylines.

Transcript

[A]

Hey, everybody. Tim Miller from the Bulwark.

[B]

We had breaking news while I was live on msnow. Donald Trump has decided to endorse Ken

[A]

Paxton in the Texas Senate primary.

[B]

I get into on the show what I think the implications are for that Senate race. I think it's good news, mildly, for Talarico. It's still going to be an uphill battle. I think that it's telling that Donald Trump feels the need that he needs to shore up support with his MAGA base. So we get into all that.

[A]

But what I wanted to focus on here for you guys is how absolutely embarrassingly humiliating this is for John Cornyn. Big John Cornyn, you remember that. Some of you guys might not remember that. You might not remember that. Let's go find the old video.

[C]

He came down off the bench after doing his time. He fought heathens and hellions and all kinds of crime. Just getting started and a long ways to go. We sent him to Washington to the really big show. Big John,

[A]

Big John,

[C]

Big John, Big Bad John. The Senate wasn't ready, said, pay your dues. That John said, sit down, friend. I got some big news. You see, I'm from Texas where we do things quick. And the way this place is runs about to make me sick. Big John, Big Bad John.

[A]

Big Bad John. Big John, Big Bad John. He's a big guy. He's got a schlong. He rides on a big horse. He's got a big hat. He's a man. Big Bad John, John Cornyn, we can get behind him. He's not a cuck. He is not the president's man. Bottom. He doesn't wear panties. He's a man. He's Big Bad John. He speaks for himself. Well, Big Bad John has been laying prostrate before the President of the United States, licking his feet, saying, yes, sir, Mr. Trump, sir. Whatever you need, sir. I'll be wee Little John for you. As long as you endorse me in this primary, I'll do whatever you want. What are some things that Big Bad

[B]

John has done recently?

[A]

Here's a selfie of him pretending to read the art of the Deal to try to get support from Trump's fanboys and girls. Yeah, Big Bad John, he's not in the big hat anymore. He's in an oversized jacket, sitting around pretending to page through Trump's book. Because I love you, sir. Love me, too. I'll read your book if that's not enough. Big Bad John, just one week ago, just one week ago, in order to make Trump happy, said Sir, I have a new bill that will upgrade one of the nation's longest highways here in Texas, because everything's bigger in Texas except for me, and we are going to rename that highway after you. Texas is Trump country. And this bill cements POTUS legacy by designating 1800 miles of open road to forever be known as the Trump Interstate.

[B]

He announced.

[A]

He called Trump in the announcement the most effective and influential president in our lifetime. He traveled around with him on his plane. He walked behind him. He carried his bags. He did whatever. Whatever you want. I'm no longer Big bad John. I'm Trump's little bitty John. Whatever you want, sir. Whatever you want. And it got him nothing. It got him nothing. He knew Trump was wrong.

[B]

On January 6, he said as much.

[A]

He knew Trump was wrong about the tariffs. He knew Trump was wrong about Ukraine. He knows Trump is corrupt. John Cornyn is not an idiot. But he wasn't a big enough man to stand up for what he knew and say what he thought was right. He was a wee, little, small man. Small, weak John, not big bad John. Small, weak John. And small, weak John did what he thought he could do to stay in power, because it was so important to him to have this little pin that says, I'm a senator. And he still got fucking boned. He still got stomped on like a little bug. Like a wee little bug. And now it's a unapologetic, corrupt grifter and somebody who's just a total moral

[B]

disgrace, who is the rightful embodiment of the Texas Republican Party. And he will represent them as their nominee for Senate against James Talarico.

[A]

We'll see how that turns out. Stick around for more analysis of this breaking news and also how it connects

[B]

to what's going on in the Kentucky House race.

[A]

We'll be back soon.

[D]

So Tim Westmore's office. The Maryland governor went on to say, quote, marylanders should look to the State Board of Elections for accurate information, not social media misinformation designed to undermine confidence in our elections. But has Trump already accomplished what he wants to accomplish? Created a cloud of doubt that hangs over this election?

[A]

I don't think so.

[B]

I mean, I think that that strategy could conceivably work when we get into the fall in other states. I think this is a big warning sign that everybody should take seriously. Obviously, there's. There are going to be very important elections that are held via mail and ballot. California's heavily mail. Colorado, some of the key House races are in states that use a lot of mail. In elections, a lot of mail in ballots, rather. And I think that he will try to undermine those. Even though he votes by mail. He voted by mail recently in Florida, The Maryland primary election is not that right. I mean, obviously, just the facts are totally wrong. It's not like any wrong ballots came in. It was about the ballots that got sent to people. People can go get a new ballot. And this is nothing like nothing. There are no fraudulent ballots that have gotten sent in. And again, it's a primary election, not a general election. So to me, this is just Trump trying to create a stir. And you know he's going to continue to do that over and over again, and he will only do it if they lose and he won't do it if they win. We know the playbook by now. You know, one tactic I would think about looking at that Wes Moore response. I agree with everything he said. I'd maybe add to it, considering the other big news item out today, this $1.8 billion slush fund that Donald Trump has that they're going to hand out to people who were allegedly victimized by Justice Department politicization. It seems like Wes Moore is now a victim of politicization by the Justice Department. They're going after him on false pretenses. And I do think that the people who are victims right now of this Justice Department should be applying for those funds and going to court to try to get those funds to try to highlight the insanity of the corruption that is happening inside the Trump administration.

[D]

Well, and let's not forget, Tim, just a handful of months ago, the president himself voted by mail, remember?

[A]

Yeah.