Trump deflects on leaked audio of Ken Paxton calling Texas midterm convention a drag on his poll numbers

Updated on: September 30, 2026 / 6:15 PM EDT / CBS News

President Trump deflected on Wednesday when he was asked about leaked audio of his close ally, Texas Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton, who reportedly told donors that "everybody's numbers are down" after the recent GOP midterm convention in Dallas.

Mr. Trump said in the Oval Office that he "hadn't heard that" about Paxton's comments, adding: "But I can tell you that the convention was amazing, as you probably know." He then touted the convention's viewership and argued that "other people were helped greatly" by the two-day event, which touted Republican candidates and focused heavily on Mr. Trump's record.

Paxton's comments were leaked to The New York Times, which published the clip on Wednesday. CBS News has not independently verified the audio.

In the excerpt, Paxton was asked, "Do you feel like he's a little bit of a drag?" although it's unclear who the question was referring to. It was recorded during a private event with lobbyists and donors in South Texas, according to the Times.

Paxton responded: "So to be honest with you, the numbers — when we did that convention — it dropped our numbers. Everybody's numbers…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/world/