"🚨 UNTHINKABLE BETRAYAL: GEORGE BUSH RETURNS WITH A BRUTAL ATTACK ON TRUMP!"
Former President George W. Bush is stepping back into Republican politics to help raise money for a group of GOP Senate candidates fighting to preserve the party’s majority in November, marking a relatively rare campaign appearance for the former president.
Bush appeared as a special guest Monday evening at a Dallas fundraiser hosted by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, benefiting six Republican Senate candidates running in some of the country’s most closely watched races.
The fundraiser benefits Maintain the Majority, a new joint fundraising committee established to support Republican Senate candidates as the party battles to retain control of the chamber.
The committee is supporting Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Jon Husted of Ohio and Dan Sullivan of Alaska, all of whom are seeking reelection.
It is also raising money for three Republicans seeking open or Democratic-held seats: Rep. Ashley Hinson in Iowa, former Rep. Mike Rogers in Michigan and former Sen. John E. Sununu in New Hampshire.
The event highlights the increasing focus on Senate fundraising with Election Day approaching and both parties directing money toward a relatively small number of competitive races.
Republicans currently hold the Senate majority, but contests across the country have created an expensive fight over control of the chamber.
Among the races drawing significant attention are Maine, Michigan, Ohio, New Hampshire, Iowa, Alaska, Texas, North Carolina, and Georgia.
CBS News recently identified a dozen races as potentially significant in determining control of the Senate.
Cornyn has been particularly vocal about directing Republican resources toward races where he believes the money could have the greatest impact.
The Texas senator, a former chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, recently warned that Republicans face difficult decisions about how to distribute their resources during the final weeks of the campaign.
“Pouring another $100 million in Texas jeopardizes other races, and I think the most important thing in the end is that Republicans maintain the majority in the Senate,” Cornyn told Semafor.
One notable Republican was absent from Monday’s fundraising effort: Texas GOP Senate nominee Ken Paxton.
Paxton, who was endorsed by President Trump, defeated Cornyn earlier this year following an expensive and contentious Republican primary. Although Cornyn subsequently said he would support the Republican ticket in November, Paxton was not included among the candidates benefiting from the Maintain the Majority fundraiser.
The omission is particularly notable because the Texas Senate contest has emerged as a major destination for Republican spending.
Paxton is running against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico. Trump-affiliated organizations and Republican Senate groups have committed tens of millions of dollars to advertising in the state, while Cornyn has publicly questioned whether that money might be more effective elsewhere.
Cornyn and Paxton fought one of the most expensive Republican Senate primaries in the country before Paxton secured the nomination.
Bush also had financial ties to Cornyn during the primary.
Federal campaign records previously showed the former president contributed $5,000 to Cornyn’s campaign.
The Texas Tribune reported that it was Bush’s first contribution to a federal candidate in Texas since the 2022 election cycle.
Bush has largely avoided day-to-day partisan politics since leaving the White House in January 2009, making his involvement in Monday’s event particularly noteworthy.
His appearance also underscored his longstanding relationship with Cornyn. Both men rose through Texas politics during the same period. Bush served as governor from 1995 until becoming president in 2001, while Cornyn served as Texas attorney general before winning election to the U.S. Senate in 2002.
The Dallas fundraiser also drew prominent figures from the Republican establishment. According to reporting on the event, participants and invitees included former Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Republican donor Harlan Crow and Harriet Miers, who served as White House counsel under Bush and was briefly nominated by him to the Supreme Court.
Two other Republican Senate candidates facing significant contests — Michael Whatley in North Carolina and Rep. Mike Collins in Georgia — were also not included in the fundraising committee.
Republican leaders have acknowledged difficult strategic decisions are approaching as they determine where to concentrate resources.
"🚨 BRANSON'S SCATHING ATTACK! — HE BLASTS TRUMP OVER PUTIN TIES AND URGES EUROPE TO STAND FIRM!"
British billionaire Sir Richard Branson has launched a fierce public attack on Donald Trump, accusing the U.S. administration of appeasing dictators and putting personal preferences ahead of American and allied interests.
The Virgin Group founder made his criticism in a LinkedIn post published this week, questioning why Trump appeared so willing to accommodate Russian President Vladimir Putin while Ukraine continues to face Russia’s invasion.
Branson described the administration as an “appeaser to autocrats and dictators,” arguing that its approach could weaken confidence among America’s traditional allies and undermine the interests of democratic nations.
He also raised a pointed question about the president’s relationship with Putin, asking why Trump seemed to flatter the Russian leader despite the continuing war and widespread international concern over Moscow’s actions.
The remarks come amid renewed controversy over a reported agreement involving Russian diesel supplies and a temporary easing of U.S. sanctions on Russian energy exports.
Trump has defended the arrangement as beneficial to fuel markets, while critics argue that allowing Russian energy revenues to flow could indirectly help Moscow sustain its war effort.
Branson called the deal deeply hypocritical, pointing to the contrast between Washington’s previous willingness to penalize countries purchasing Russian energy and its own decision to ease restrictions.
His criticism extended beyond energy policy. He also condemned Trump’s public attacks on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, describing the administration’s treatment of Ukraine as a betrayal during a period of war and suffering.
The billionaire’s intervention follows mounting concern in Kyiv and across Europe about the durability of American support for Ukraine, particularly as diplomatic efforts have struggled to produce a lasting settlement.
Branson also expressed alarm about reports involving restrictions on Starshield services used by Ukraine, a technology issue that has raised questions about the country’s access to crucial battlefield communications.
Some of Branson’s claims about the consequences of satellite-service restrictions have not been independently confirmed, and the details of decisions involving military communications remain disputed.
He urged European leaders to respond more decisively, arguing that the continent cannot simply wait for Washington to determine the future of Ukraine’s security and its broader relationship with Russia.
His proposed response reportedly included considering the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine and supplying more advanced weapons, measures that would intensify the confrontation with Moscow.
The comments place Branson among a relatively small group of prominent business leaders willing to criticize Trump directly over foreign policy, despite the political and commercial sensitivities surrounding such interventions.
Branson has previously spoken out in support of Ukraine and criticized approaches that he believes would pressure Kyiv into accepting an unfavorable peace agreement with Russia.
The latest dispute also comes at a politically sensitive moment in the United States, with congressional midterm elections approaching and foreign policy increasingly intertwined with domestic debates over leadership and national priorities.
Supporters of Trump’s approach may argue that direct engagement with Moscow and energy-market flexibility can serve American interests, even when such policies provoke disagreement among allies.
Critics counter that concessions to Russia risk weakening deterrence and sending an unsettling message to countries relying on the United States for diplomatic, economic and military support.
The disagreement reflects a broader debate over whether negotiations and economic pragmatism can help end the war—or whether they could give Moscow additional leverage without securing meaningful concessions.
For Ukraine, the stakes remain immediate: continued military pressure, uncertainty over international support and the search for a settlement that preserves its sovereignty remain central concerns.
Branson’s intervention adds another prominent voice to the dispute, challenging the White House’s handling of Russia and demanding a stronger response from Europe as the conflict continues.
