Senator John Cornyn of Texas, a veteran Republican who lost his primary last month to a candidate endorsed by President Trump, has broken his silence with a sharp critique of the commander-in-chief. In an interview with Semafor, Cornyn said he has stopped regular communications with Trump, describing the president as someone who “seems to revel in chaos.”
“The president seems to revel in chaos, which is so different from any other leader that I’ve ever seen,” Cornyn told the outlet. “I don’t know about you, but I like to minimize the chaos in my life. He just seems to revel in it. We’ve seen even recent evidence of it on the DNI.”
Cornyn’s remarks come amid a growing rift between Trump and Senate Republicans, particularly those who have lost primary races or are retiring. The senator specifically criticized the White House’s decision to delay the nomination for director of national intelligence, a move that has stalled the reauthorization of a key surveillance law known as FISA. Trump’s hold-up has frustrated Cornyn and other GOP lawmakers who see the delay as irresponsible. The FISA renewal remains in limbo as Trump pushes for unrelated policy riders.
The Texas Republican has become increasingly vocal about his disagreements with the administration since his primary defeat. He has also used his remaining time in the Senate to leverage votes for his home state. In the Semafor interview, Cornyn revealed he threatened to withhold his support for a party-line immigration enforcement funding package unless Senate leaders secured reimbursement for Texas’s border security expenses from the White House.
“That’s one example I think of what you can do when you have some cards to play,” Cornyn said, signaling a more assertive approach as his tenure winds down.
Cornyn is not alone in his frustration. Other Republicans who have lost primaries or are retiring have grown bolder in challenging Trump, complicating the party’s legislative agenda ahead of the midterms. The feud between Trump and Senate GOP deepens as key priorities face headwinds.
The delay in confirming Jay Clayton as DNI director has drawn bipartisan ire, with Cornyn and others warning that it undermines national security. Trump’s demand for a voter ID rider has further stalled the process, leaving the intelligence community in limbo.
As the Senate works through Republican priorities before the midterm elections, Cornyn’s willingness to push back could make it harder for the GOP to advance its agenda. His criticism underscores a broader tension within the party between loyalty to Trump and institutional norms.
