Ken Paxton
Role at the time: Texas Attorney General; candidate for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, Texas
Defended or excused
Statement summary
Paxton praised President Trump's decision to strike Iran as 'courageous leadership,' framing the operation as necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
“Thank you President Trump for your courageous leadership. For years, Iran has terrorized the world and threatened our nation's existence, and it's critical that the evil regime is never able to obtain a nuclear weapon. Praying for our brave men and women in uniform.”
Open source (opens in a new tab)Texas leaders react to US, Israel attack on Iran
KXAN roundup of Texas officials' reactions to the February 28, 2026 U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran (Operation Epic Fury), including statements from James Talarico and Ken Paxton.
Why we used this label
Explicitly praises and justifies the military operation as necessary for U.S. security.