Trump has stepped into a heated Texas primary by throwing his weight behind Rep. John Carter instead of Valentina, who has built her profile on open hostility toward Muslims. She’s become known for Islamophobic rhetoric, constant picketing against Muslim communities and, most recently, releasing a video of herself burning the Quran, a move that drew national outrage and deepened criticism of her campaign.

Trump’s statement painted Carter as the safe pair of hands in Texas’s 31st District. He praised Carter’s two decades as a district court judge and his long tenure in Congress, calling him a steady defender of lower taxes, American manufacturing, border security and veterans. In Trump’s view, Carter is the reliable conservative who won’t gamble with the issues the Republican base cares about.

What this really means is that Trump is distancing himself from Valentina’s escalating extremism and backing the candidate he thinks can win without dragging the party into another firestorm. His endorsement signals that Carter is the preferred option for Republicans looking for stability rather than viral stunts and sectarian provocation.