GOP senator shares post calling Trump 'Commander-in-Cheat' — and then deletes it

Sen. John Cornyn briefly shared a post calling Donald Trump the "Commander-in-Cheat" on Tuesday — then deleted it — in a stunning moment of apparent candor from a Republican incumbent fighting for his political life one week before a Trump-backed primary runoff.

As first reported by The Federalist's Sean Davis, Cornyn retweeted a post from advocacy group Pastors for Children that ticked through Ken Paxton's long list of scandals — his impeachment, felony indictment, and divorce on grounds of adultery — before landing on the kicker: "Endorsed by our Commander-in-Cheat."

But Cornyn didn't just share it. He leaned in.

"This is what you are going to see from now until the November election with a vastly different electorate," Cornyn wrote above the repost. "There is still time to vote this week or on May 26th. Join us #stillwithCornyn."

Then he deleted it.

The move came just hours after Trump announced he was backing Paxton over Cornyn in the May 26 Republican Senate runoff — a gut punch to the three-term incumbent who had spent months courting the president's support.

Cornyn's initial response to the endorsement was measured. "I have worked closely with President Trump through both of his Presidential terms and voted with him more than 99% of the time," he posted on X. "He has consistently called me a friend in this race."

He closed with a general election warning: "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."

The runoff is on May 26. Early voting is already underway.