INTERNACIONAL
‘Sacred Covenant’ – How the Paxton divorce rocks the bruising Republican Senate primary in Texas
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton came out strong Friday morning, announcing a «historic» $2.9 million fundraising haul over the past three months for his Republican Senate campaign.
Paxton, a MAGA champion and longtime ally of President Donald Trump – who has been battered over the past decade by multiple controversies – is primary challenging longtime GOP Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, in what is shaping up to be an expensive and bitterly brutal battle.
The fundraising announcement by Paxton came hours after a new development rocked the Lone Star State’s primary race.
Paxton’s wife, Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton, a Republican, announced Thursday that she’s filed for divorce from her longtime husband.
‘BIBLICAL GROUNDS’ – KEN PAXTON’S WIFE FILES FOR DIVORCE
Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton (right), seen at the U.S. Supreme Court in 2021 with her husband, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, on Thursday announced that she had filed for divorce after 38 years of marriage. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)
«Today, after 38 years of marriage, I filed for divorce on biblical grounds,» the state senator wrote in a social media post.
«I believe marriage is a sacred covenant and I have earnestly pursued reconciliation,» she added. «But in light of recent discoveries, I do not believe that it honors God or is loving to myself, my children, or Ken to remain in the marriage.»
In his own statement, Ken Paxton said that «after facing the pressures of countless political attacks and public scrutiny, Angela and I have decided to start a new chapter in our lives.»
The attorney general added that «I could not be any more proud or grateful for the incredible family that God has blessed us with, and I remain committed to supporting our amazing children and grandchildren. I ask for your prayers and privacy at this time.»
TRUMP ALLY PAXTON LAUNCHES SENATE PRIMARY CHALLENGE IN TEXAS
Paxton, who first won election as Texas attorney general in 2014 and has been re-elected twice, was impeached a couple of years ago by the Texas House of Representatives on allegations of corruption, which included claims related to an extramarital affair. He was later acquitted by the state Senate.
A veteran Texas-based Republican strategist, when asked how the divorce bombshell will impact the Senate primary, said the key is whether there are more damaging revelations to come.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at an event outside the Texas Statehouse, on Feb. 28, 2022 in Austin, Texas. (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)
«Most people I’m talking to are expecting a lot more details in this story that Republican primary voters aren’t going to be too happy about,» said the strategist, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely. «I think there is quite more to come and soon.»
Paxton, in his fundraising release, highlighted that he was «blown away by the support I’ve received since launching my campaign. The grassroots movement to fire John Cornyn continues to grow stronger every single day, and this is only just the beginning.»
«Our voters have been excited to send John Cornyn packing for years, which is why he’s down over 20 points, and his campaign is getting more and more desperate,» Paxton said, as he pointed to a number of recent polls indicating his lead over the senator.
Thanks to his strong support among MAGA world, polling has never been Paxton’s’ problem in taking on Cornyn.
The more important issue was whether he could compete financially with a senator with a history of strong fundraising.
Cornyn’s campaign has yet to announce its second quarter fundraising. But Texans for a Conservative Majority, a Cornyn-aligned super PAC, announced on July 1 that they had raked in $10.9 million over the past three months.
A separate GOP consultant in Texas, who also asked for anonymity, said Paxton needs to quickly answer questions to make sure supporters and donors don’t jump ship.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, seen at a Senate hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, on March 14, 2025, is running for re-election next year. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
«The people that are backing him with their public support, such as elected officials, or people who are backing him financially, are going to want answers very quickly, as in today, about what’s the damage. Is this true? Do you deny it? What other issues may come up if your spouse is looking to tell their version of the truth,» the consultant said.
And the consultant noted that what Paxton’s wife says going forward will be crucial.
«State Sen. Angele Paxton had been by Ken’s side for the entire saga over the last decade and up close and personal with all the issues he’s been accused of. She’s been front and center for it all.»
While Cornyn’s campaign didn’t put out any statement regarding the divorce news, it did issue a release titled: «Ken Paxton’s TERRIBLE week.»
It included a social media post from Matt Schaeffer, a conservative former member of the state legislature who argued that «Paxton is morally unfit to hold office.»
While Trump has stayed neutral in the primary so far, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) are backing Cornyn.
GOP Rep. Wesley Hunt of Texas speaks during Day 1 of the Republican National Convention, at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 15, 2024. Reuters/Mike Segar
There’s a possibility another Republican could enter the Senate primary.
Three-term Rep. Wesley Hunt, a rising MAGA star who represents a Houston-area district, has been mulling a Senate run. Sources confirmed to Fox News earlier this year that Hunt had made his case to President Donald Trump’s political team that he’s the only person who can win both a GOP primary and a general election.
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And on Friday, a Texas-based conservative strategist who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely, told Fox News he believes «Hunt is still the only candidate in Texas that can win the primary and the general election.»
A different consultant noted that «the possibility that Ken will exit the race changes the dynamics dramatically,» and that «it absolutely does give Hunt something to think about.»
Hunt, along with Cornyn and GOP Sen. Ted Cruz joined the president on Friday on a flight from the nation’s capital to Texas on board Air Force One, as Trump traveled to the state to survey damage from horrific flooding that grabbed national headlines this week.
INTERNACIONAL
WATCH: GOP senators divided over whether Epstein documents are a distraction or a needed reckoning
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Republican senators offered a range of responses when pressed on how the Trump administration has been handling the Epstein files controversy, with some calling it a distraction and others arguing the American people are «entitled» to answers.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the «first phase» of declassified files related to Jeffrey Epstein Feb. 27, noting the move was following through on President Donald Trump’s commitment to «lifting the veil» on Epstein and his co-conspirator’s actions. Bondi also said the same month she was in possession of an Epstein «client list.»
However, the February declassification contained mostly information and files that had already been publicly available, and the Justice Department subsequently indicated that no «client list» exists. Since then, a series of events, including a clash between FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino and Attorney General Bondi, have led to mounting pressure on the Trump administration to release more files.
‘NOT GOING AWAY’: INSIDE THE EPSTEIN DRAMA THAT’S THROWN HOUSE GOP INTO CHAOS
Trump’s relationship with Epstein has come under more scrutiny after his DOJ under Attorney General Pam Bondi recently said there is no Epstein «client list.» (Getty Images)
«This is factual. Epstein trafficked a lot of young women, some of whom were minors. The American people are entitled to know who — if anyone — he trafficked these young women to, besides himself, and why they weren’t prosecuted,» John Kennedy, R-La., said.
«Now that’s a very simple question that’s at the bottom of all of this. The Department of Justice is going to have to answer that question to the satisfaction of the American people.»
TABLES TURN AS HOUSE GOP BLASTS DEMS FOR SUDDENLY DEMANDING EPSTEIN TRANSPARENCY FROM TRUMP ADMIN
Kennedy’s call for transparency comes after the president described the Epstein situation as a «hoax» while blasting Democrats and other «weaklings» who continue to buy into it.
«Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this ‘bull—-,’ hook, line, and sinker,» Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform last month amid mounting reports of internal division within the administration over its handling of the Epstein case
When asked about how the Trump administration was handling the Epstein furor, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said he thought the situation was being used by Democrats to create a «distraction» from the ongoing investigations into former President Biden and others, like the probe related to Biden’s use of an autopen tool to sign important documents and the investigation into whether Obama-era officials manufactured evidence to accuse Trump of Russian collusion.
Senators Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., left, and John Kennedy, R-La., shared their takes on how the Trump administration is handling the Epstein controversy. (Getty Images)
«Look what’s being investigated right now through the Biden administration. … So, what are they going to talk about now?» Mullin asked. «This is nothing but a distraction from the actual facts that is coming out about the Biden administration. Of course, the Democrats say, ‘Well, we’re just about transparency.’ Well, where was the transparency the last four years?»
Democrats have suggested Trump could be implicated in the files, but Mullin said that if such a circumstance were true, the information would have been leaked by the Biden administration.
Mullin’s counterpart in the Senate, Republican Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford took more of a middle ground in his response about how the administration has been handling the Epstein files.
Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., left, and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, talk as they head to the U.S. Capitol for votes July 31, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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«The challenge is there are people that are victims that are in it, and there are folks that are not criminals that are in it as well,» Lankford said. «And the challenge the Department of Justice has is you’ve got a girl that was 14, 16 years old and was abused. Well, now she’s, let’s say 26 or 30, married and has children.
«Maybe her family knows about this, maybe they don’t. I don’t know the situation, but we gotta figure out a way to be able to protect those folks that are genuine victims on all this as well as getting out as much information as you possibly can.»
For Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, the debate about the Epstein files was not something she was interested in talking about when approached by Fox News Digital.
«I’m going,» Collins responded when pressed on the matter outside the Capitol complex.
jeffrey epstein,republicans,senate,donald trump,ghislaine maxwell,politics
INTERNACIONAL
El líder de la ONU advirtió sobre una “peligrosa escalada” tras la decisión de Israel de tomar la ciudad de Gaza
El secretario general de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas (ONU), António Guterres, expresó este viernes su preocupación tras la decisión de Israel de extender su ofensiva militar en la Franja de Gaza y asumir el control de la ciudad de Gaza, la mayor aglomeración del enclave palestino.
Según un comunicado leído por su portavoz adjunta, Stephanie Tremblay, Guterres considera que esta medida “marca una peligrosa escalada” en el conflicto y pone “aún más en peligro” a los civiles en la región, incluidos los rehenes en manos de terroristas palestinos.
En palabras de Tremblay, Guterres “está profundamente alarmado por la decisión del Gobierno israelí sobre ‘tomar el control de la ciudad de Gaza’”, y advirtió que esto podría “agravar las ya catastróficas consecuencias de millones de palestinos”.
El secretario general subrayó que los palestinos en Gaza “siguen padeciendo una catástrofe humanitaria de proporciones terroríficas”, al tiempo que señaló que una nueva ofensiva podría “provocar un nuevo desplazamiento forzado, muertes y destrucción masiva, suponiendo un sufrimiento inimaginable a la población palestina”.
El conflicto en la Franja de Gaza se acerca a los dos años y, según declaraciones oficiales, la decisión del gabinete de seguridad del primer ministro israelí, Benjamin Netanyahu, añade tensión a la ya inestable situación.
El Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU anunció la convocatoria de una reunión de urgencia para este sábado, con el objetivo de abordar el nuevo plan israelí tras solicitudes de varios miembros, según informaron fuentes diplomáticas a la AFP. “Varios países en nuestro nombre y en el suyo propio están solicitando una reunión del Consejo de Seguridad”, declaró este viernes el representante palestino ante la ONU, Ryad Mansour.
Guterres reiteró su llamado a un alto el fuego y a facilitar la entrada de ayuda humanitaria, exhortando a las autoridades israelíes a cumplir con sus obligaciones conforme al Derecho Humanitario Internacional. “No habrá una solución sostenible a este conflicto sin el fin de la ocupación ilegal y una solución viable de dos Estados. Gaza es y debe seguir siendo parte integral de un Estado palestino”, afirmó el secretario general.
Adicionalmente, Guterres recordó que la Corte Internacional de Justicia (CIJ) exige a Israel “poner fin a su presencia ilegal en los territorios palestinos ocupados –que abarca Gaza y Cisjordania, incluida Jerusalén Este– lo antes posible”.
En el ámbito humanitario, Tremblay confirmó el encuentro celebrado el miércoles entre personal de la ONU y representantes de la Fundación Humanitaria de Gaza (GHF, por sus siglas en inglés), entidad respaldada por Israel y Estados Unidos desde mayo para la distribución de alimentos en la zona. La portavoz explicó que la reunión, impulsada por la Misión de EEUU ante la ONU, abordó “la grave situación humanitaria en Gaza”.
“Con prácticamente toda la población de Gaza al borde de la hambruna, damos la bienvenida a cualquiera que eleve su voz para llegar urgentemente con asistencia humanitaria a los civiles de Gaza. Pero ya tenemos un plan basado en principios humanitarios reconocidos globalmente”, explicó Tremblay.
Según el Ministerio de Sanidad palestino, cientos de personas han muerto por disparos del Ejército israelí o a consecuencia de disturbios cuando buscaban ayuda en los centros de la GHF, ubicados en áreas bajo control militar israelí. Una reciente investigación de Médicos Sin Fronteras (MSF) sostiene que estos centros ‘son lugares de asesinatos orquestados y deshumanización’ y pide su cierre. Además, un grupo de 25 relatores y expertos de la ONU solicitó esta semana el desmantelamiento de la GHF, creada por Israel en febrero de 2025 con apoyo de EEUU.
La ONU mantiene que su “plan funciona” y ofrece puntos de distribución en todo el territorio, donde las personas pueden recibir asistencia humanitaria de manera segura. Preguntada por los principios que rigen el trabajo de la GHF, Tremblay respondió: “Creo que puedes ver lo que está pasando en Gaza día a día”.
El aumento de la ofensiva y el control de Israel sobre la ciudad de Gaza han avivado la preocupación internacional. Con el Consejo de Seguridad preparado para abordar la situación, la comunidad internacional aguarda las próximas decisiones respecto al futuro del enclave y la respuesta humanitaria en la región.
(Con información de AFP, EFE y EP)
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