WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump is lashing out at Republican Sen. Rand Paul, saying his own constituents “can’t stand him,” over the Kentucky senator’s continued opposition to his tax and domestic policy bill that Trump and GOP leaders are trying to push through the Senate this month.
Trump targeted Paul in back-to-back June 3 posts on Truth Social, just minutes after Paul discussed his opposition in a morning appearance on Fox Business by arguing the president’s so-called “big, beautiful bill” will increase the debt ceiling by $5 trillion.
“Rand Paul has very little understanding of the BBB, especially the tremendous GROWTH that is coming,” Trump wrote. “He loves voting ‘NO’ on everything, he thinks it’s good politics, but it’s not. The BBB is a big WINNER!!!”
More: Trump’s big tax bill moves ahead to potential changes in the Senate
Five minutes later, Trump added in a second post: “Rand votes NO on everything, but never has any practical or constructive ideas. His ideas are actually crazy (losers!). The people of Kentucky can’t stand him. This is a BIG GROWTH BILL!”
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated the bill, which looks to cement the president’s domestic agenda, would add $3.8 trillion to the national debt over the next 10 years.
Trump has said he wants Congress to approve the legislation and get it to his desk by July 4 after the House voted for the bill along party lines last month.
More: Sen. Rand Paul dismisses GOP budget bill’s spending cuts as ‘wimpy and anemic’
Republican leaders are trying to pass the Senate bill through a filibuster-proof budget process known as reconciliation. It would extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, implement new tax breaks for tipped wages and overtime, overhaul Medicaid and food stamps and put more money toward Trump’s immigrant deportation plan.
“I think they’re asking for too much money,” Paul said in a June 1 appearance on CBS’ Face the Nation.
Trump had warned Paul in a Truth Social post the day before his appearance that he would be “playing right into the hands of the Democrats” if he votes against the bill.
Paul, who has also criticized Trump’s aggressive use of tariffs, told CBS that he spoke to Trump last week. “I had a very good conversation with the president this week about tariffs. He did most of the talking, and we don’t agree exactly on the outcome.”
Republicans have a 53-47 majority in the Senate, meaning Trump can lose no more than three Republican senators to pass the bill if no Democrats cross the aisle to support the legislation.
In addition to Republicans like Paul worried about the deficit, Trump must also ease concerns over potential changes to Medicaid voiced by Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Josh Hawley of Missouri. The bill would cut $625 billion from the low-income health care program while pushing an estimated 7.6 million Americans off coverage, in part by implementing new work requirements for able-bodied adults without children.
Other senators such as Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; John Curtis, R-Utah; and Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, are worried about the package rolling back renewable energy tax credits implemented under Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act that their states’ businesses have benefitted from.
Contributing: Riley Beggin
Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump lashes out at Sen. Rand Paul over opposition to tax bill
