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Controversial Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wins GOP nomination for U.S. Senate seat, South Carolina lawmakers reject Trump-backed redistricting plan, Trump's whiplash diplomacy on Iran continues.
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Politics - CBSNews.com
5/25: CBS Evening News
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President Trump says Iran deal will be a "great and meaningful" pact or there will be no deal; Memorial Day honors fallen U.S. service members
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Raw Story
'He's bad news': Republican says Trump's endorsement made him vote for other candidate
Texas Republicans headed to the polls Tuesday in a make-or-break Senate runoff — and for at least one voter, President Donald Trump's endorsement didn't seal the deal. It backfired.CNN caught up with two Republican voters outside a Plano polling location on Election Day, and their reactions to Trump's last-minute backing of Attorney General Ken Paxton told two very different stories about the state of the GOP.The first voter said Trump's endorsement was the deciding factor — pushing him away from Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, and toward Paxton. "I was torn because I was gonna go with Cornyn," he said. "But when Trump backed [Paxton] — I like who he backs."The second voter went the other way entirely."I made one vote, and that was for Cornyn," he told CNN's Arlette Saenz. "Primarily because he's not supported by Trump."When Saenz pressed him, he didn't mince words. "I think he's ruined my Republican party," he said of Trump. "I think he's divided America. I think he's bad news. And I still lean Republican, so I voted for Cornyn."NOTUS White House reporter Jasmine Wright, appearing on CNN, said the exchange captured a split that's playing out statewide. "You're literally seeing the 80-20, 70-30 split that we see represented in polling," she said, adding that the White House is banking on the majority holding. "This question that we continue to ask — whether or not Trump still holds a vice grip on the Republican Party — continues to show us yes, yes, and yes."Trump amplified that grip Tuesday morning, resharing a post urging Texans to "Get the RINOs out now" while calling Paxton the country's best attorney general.Cornyn, meanwhile, made his closing argument on Fox News, hammering Paxton's scandal-ridden record. "Texans have learned that you can't trust what Paxton says," he said, citing Paxton's impeachment by a Republican-led House and a $6.6 million whistleblower judgment against him.The winner faces Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in November. Polls close at 8 p.m. ET.
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Raw Story
'Remarkable': Fox News confronts RNC chair with Trump's dismal approval ratings
Fox News anchor Gillian Turner put RNC chair Joe Gruters on the spot this week, confronting him live on air with a graphic showing President Donald Trump's approval rating cratering across multiple polls — including the network's own.A Fox News poll conducted May 15–18 among 1,002 registered voters put Trump's overall job approval at 39%, with 61% disapproving — the highest disapproval figure recorded in Fox News polling during his presidency. An AP-NORC poll showed 37% approval and 62% disapproval, while a Wall Street Journal survey put him at 41% approval and 57% disapproval.Turner didn't let Gruters off easy."It is remarkable that, with the president's approval rating at around 39% according to the latest Fox News polls, he is able to maintain ironclad support from across the party," Turner said.Gruters brushed it off."The base loves the president. The president's the leader of our party," Gruters said. "When he makes a decision, when he comes out and endorses candidates, those candidates usually win."The Florida state senator — whom Trump tapped to lead the RNC last summer — also dismissed concerns about Trump's Texas Senate primary endorsement of former Attorney General Ken Paxton over Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX). Even Fox's own Brit Hume questioned the pick."The widespread feeling is that the race is safer for the Republicans if Cornyn is able to win," Hume said on air.Gruters was undeterred, touting Trump's endorsement record. "I think he was undefeated the other day — 37 and 0," he said. "It's like a Disney fast pass. You go right to the front if you get that endorsement."The WSJ poll also found Democrats opening up an 8-point lead on the generic congressional ballot, with a striking plunge in Republican voters' strong approval of Trump — from 75% in January to 57% now.
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Raw Story
'I have bad news': Trump's grocery price fix sunk as analysts reveal microscopic savings
Economic analysts tore into Trump's idea for lowering grocery prices Tuesday, saying it won't work — and will cause more harm than good, according to a new report. "The president declared that he was taking 'a very historic action to substantially lower costs for consumers,'" MS NOW political contributor Steve Benen wrote, referring to Trump's comments at a May 21 event. "I have bad news for those who believed him." Trump has been touting his success in lowering grocery prices, according to Benen. The Trump administration loosened federal regulations that require grocery stores and air-conditioning companies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cooling equipment, according to reporting by AP. Although Trump said the move would "substantially lower costs for consumers," AP reported, Benen pointed to a story from The New York Times that found it will "likely have little impact on prices," based on market analysts. "This move is highly unlikely to produce any noticeable reduction in grocery prices for consumers," food economist David Ortega told the NYT. "We're talking about refrigeration, and that's a very small share of the overall cost of food." According to market analysts who spoke to the NYT, the bigger driver of grocery store prices is "tariffs, extreme weather, and soaring fuel prices since the start of the conflict in Iran." According to reporting by NOTUS, the savings might amount to "$2 per year." Meanwhile, industry groups told the AP that Trump's supposed quick fix "could even raise prices because manufacturers have already redesigned products, retooled factories and trained workers" for newer refrigeration equipment.
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Alternet.org
Data analyst sees 'collapse' for Trump — even among his base
"The calls are coming from inside the house," CNN host John Berman said on Tuesday.CNN data analyst Harry Enten agreed."Why don't we talk about the key issue of inflation," Enten began. "And what are we talking about? We're talking about a complete collapse of the floor. Look at this. Republicans' net approval of Trump on inflation. You know, you go back when he was running for reelection back in 2024. For term number one, look at that net approval rating. It was plus 68 points in terms of how they viewed Republicans' views on inflation and Trump."Term number two is a different matter."Look at this! Collapse!" exclaimed Enten, citing the Ipsos poll. " ... There are now multiple polls showing that Donald John Trump is underwater within his own Republican Party."On gas prices, Enten said that Republicans are "calling again." The numbers last summer show a 51-point approval, while it has now shifted to minus four, a 55-point swing."This isn't just something about the center of the electorate. This is with Donald Trump's base as well. This is a huge shift. He's underwater again, the floor completely collapsing underneath," said Enten. "So, you know, we're talking about the collapsing floor, but, you know, if this is an old ruddy house that we don't really care about, then who really cares?" Enten said about the GOP's poor polls. "But this is the house that is most important because you take a look here. Okay, Republicans' top issue is the economy and the cost of living."In Jan. 2026, 43 percent of Republicans identified the cost of living as the most important issue. That is now 54 percent of Republicans who say it's important. "Multiple polls showing him underwater on inflation," Enten closed. "A very, very, creaky floor."
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Alternet.org
Trump triggers 'rare and dramatic GOP revolt': Fox News analyst
According to Fox News analyst Howard Kurtz, a change has come over congressional Republicans in recent days. Instead of rubberstamping President Donald Trump’s every demand and whim, a new dynamic has emerged. This time, and for the first time in his second term, “Trump did something beyond the pale and the brave Republicans are standing up to him.”“It's a revolt,” writes Kurtz. “Practically a revolution,” as Republicans are finally pushed to a point that “seems to be breaking, or at least loosening, Trump's iron grip on power.”Kurtz says that the key issue driving this change was “Trump's decision to use $1.8 billion largely for those convicted of crimes on Jan. 6,” which the Fox contributor argues was “the culmination of a five-year effort by the president to recast the protestors, who he had summoned to Washington and directed to march to the Capitol, as patriots, not lawbreakers. That is inconveniently contradicted by the relentless violence we all saw on our television screens as the riot unfolded. It was one of the darkest days in American history.”Many Republicans expressed disgust at what has been criticized as a “slush fund” immediately after it was announced, but according to Kurtz, things really “exploded” after Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche met with Senate Republicans. "My guess is there’re probably 45 senators in the room, at least half of them were blasting the attorney general… They were screaming at the acting attorney general," said Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), calling it a "full-on revolt." And Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) put it like this: "So the nation’s top law enforcement official is asking for a slush fund to pay people who assault cops? Utterly stupid, morally wrong – Take your pick." Following the “fiery session” with Blanche, Republican leaders killed a vote that was scheduled the same day on one of their key priorities — funding immigration and border enforcement — rather than risk the possibility of having to vote on the slush fund, which would force them to give a public “yay” to the widely criticized idea or a “nay” to the president. At the same time, they also failed to approve $1 billion for Trump’s ballroom obsession. What’s more, for the first time, Republicans are broadly criticizing Trump’s plans regarding Iran. "Doesn’t make too much sense to me," said Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC). And said Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) — arguably the staunchest Iran war hawk in Congress — the current situation "makes one wonder why the war started to begin with." “Maybe the previously unthinkable idea of Republicans openly challenging Trump is catching on,” Kurtz concludes. “They're mad as hell, and they're not going to take it anymore.”
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NPR Topics: News
Morning news brief
U.S. military says it struck Iran Monday in "self-defense," Russia threatens more strikes against Ukraine, Texas GOP voters head to polls for primary that could shape future of the party.
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The Hill News
Live updates: US hits Iran even as peace talks proceed; Cornyn-Paxton faceoff tests Trump’s backing
Even as the U.S. and Iran inch toward a deal to end the nearly three-months long conflict, tensions are running high. On Monday, the U.S. launched strikes in southern Iran that it described as “defensive,” and Iran claimed to have brought down an American drone. President Trump demanded the Islamic Republic immediate turn over its…
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