Former President Donald Trump confirmed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, is in the running to be his attorney general, calling him “a very talented guy” during a weekend interview. 

On Sunday, Trump was asked if he would consider Paxton for U.S. attorney general should he win the 2024 presidential election.

“I would, actually. He’s very, very talented. I mean, we have a lot of people that want that one and would be really good at it,” Trump said. “But he’s a very talented guy.”

Trump made the comments to Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth at the National Rifle Association convention. 

Paxton became the subject of national debate last year when he was accused of using his power to benefit real estate developer Nate Paul. The third-term attorney general became embroiled in ​​allegations that he benefited from Paul’s employment of a woman with whom the attorney general was having an extramarital affair, as well as claims that he harmed the Roy F. & JoAnn Cole Mitte Foundation and directed staff members to reverse their legal conclusion to help Paul. 

Texas’s Republican-controlled House voted to impeach Paxton on 16 articles related to bribery, disregard of duty, and dereliction of duty. In September 2023, the state Senate acquitted Paxton on all charges. 

Trump referenced Paxton’s legal battle during his Sunday interview, saying, “I fought for him when he had the difficulty, and we won. He had some people really after him, and I thought it was very unfair. He’s been a very good attorney general.”

This is not the first time the former president has taken credit for Paxton’s exoneration.

Following the Texas attorney general’s September acquittal, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that he “saved Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton from going down at the hands of Democrats and some Republicans.”

Due to the southern border crisis, Texas has catapulted to the national limelight. With immigration now the top problem in the United States, Paxton has been front and center in numerous battles with the Biden administration over border policies. His alliance with the former president’s controversial border positions might make him a viable candidate to serve in a Trump administration.

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Paxton voiced his support for Trump in his own legal problems in April, when he called the hush money charges the former president is facing in New York “a travesty of justice.”

In March, Trump floated Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) as possible picks for his attorney general.