Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has voiced concerns about President Trump’s legislative plan, describing the proposed Republican package as a “face slap” and warning that it could add trillions to the national debt.
In a Thursday interview with Fox News’ Ainsley Earhardt, Paul remarked, “The issue is we’re being asked, as conservatives, to raise the debt ceiling by $5 trillion. That’s unprecedented. No one has ever increased the cap by that amount.” He noted that this would set a record for Congress, as the deficit is projected to exceed $2 trillion this year, with expectations of approaching $3 trillion next year.
Paul expressed skepticism about the rationale behind raising the cap by $5 trillion, particularly in light of claims in the Senate’s budget plan that Elon Musk’s government efficiency initiatives (referred to as DOGE) have already achieved significant spending reductions.
“For those of us enthusiastic about Elon Musk and Doge and all these cuts, it feels like a real slap in the face,” he stated.
He continued questioning, “Where are the cuts? If the reductions are legitimate, why do we need to borrow $5 trillion?”
Last month, a Republican majority approved the president’s so-called “big, beautiful bill” blueprint, although Paul voted against it. The bill is now making its way through the House but faces significant challenges from within the party before reaching the Senate.
During a recent interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, the president characterized his proposal as “very uniform for Republicans,” suggesting it might also garner some support from Democrats and expressing confidence that it will ultimately succeed.
