Texas Governor Greg Abbott endorsed Donald Trump’s campaign to return to the White House during an event at the Texas-Mexico border. During the speech in Edinburgh, Abbott expressed the need to have Donald J. Trump back as president of the United States, emphasizing Trump’s pledge to secure the border and restore law and order. Trump thanked Abbott for the endorsement, calling it a “tremendous honor” and vowed to make Abbott’s job easier, allowing him to focus on other issues in Texas.

According to an article in the Texas Tribune, the endorsement came after Abbott and Trump served meals to military personnel deployed for Operation Lone Star, a sweeping border security mission that cost Texas billions of dollars. Abbott’s strategy to reinforce the border involved sending state troopers and members of the National Guard to apprehend migrants crossing the Rio Grande, resulting in civil rights lawsuits against the state.

Democrats have criticized Trump and Abbott’s immigration strategy, calling Trump’s immigration policies “extreme, inhumane, and fundamentally un-American”. Biden’s campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, said Trump's visit to Texas was not intended to ensure border security, but was a photo opportunity with one of the most anti-immigration governors, according to the same publication.

Abbott's endorsement of Trump comes at a time when Trump's lead among Republicans seeking the 2024 presidential nomination is on the rise. Trump leads both nationally and in Texas, beating his closest competitors, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley.

Abbott's endorsement is notable because he hasn't embraced Trump as much as some other state officials, such as Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who twice chaired Trump's campaign in Texas. Abbott does not often attend Trump's campaign events in Texas, such as the stop he made in Houston earlier this month. Instead, Abbott made a surprise trip to Israel at the time, saying he wanted to show solidarity after the Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel.

Despite moments of tension and public questioning, Abbott and Trump have found ways to cement their political partnership.