Disinvited, Then Reinvited: Rand Paul’s White House Picnic Saga

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., says he was blindsided aft uncovering retired he and his family were near disconnected nan impermanent database for nan yearly legislature picnic astatine nan White House, only to beryllium reinvited aft speaking retired publicly.

Paul, who had planned to be nan arena connected Thursday, June 12, astatine nan South Lawn pinch his wife, son, daughter-in-law and babe grandson, told reporters that he discovered nan snub erstwhile he went to prime up tickets.

Paul told reporters, “I deliberation I’m nan first legislator successful nan history of nan United States to beryllium uninvited to nan White House picnic. Every Democrat will beryllium invited, each Republican will beryllium invited, but I will beryllium nan only 1 disallowed to travel connected nan grounds of nan White House.”

He called nan move “incredibly petty,” adding, “The level of immaturity is beyond words.”

Then, connected Thursday, President Donald Trump reversed course, posting connected his Truth Social platform, “Of people Senator Rand Paul and his beautiful woman and family are invited to nan BIG White House Party tonight. He’s nan toughest ballot successful nan history of nan U.S. Senate, but why wouldn’t he be? Besides, it gives maine much clip to get his Vote connected nan Great, Big, Beautiful Bill.“

Trump added, “I look guardant to seeing Rand. The Party will beryllium Great!”

Growing hostility betwixt Trump and Paul

The about-face comes amid increasing hostility betwixt Trump and Paul, who precocious came retired against nan president’s signature legislative package – dubbed nan “big, beautiful bill” – which passed nan House and is now nether information successful nan Senate.

While Paul has said he supports galore aspects of nan package, including spending cuts and taxation reforms, he’s opposed to what he calls “trillions successful caller debt” and raising nan indebtedness ceiling.

“Adding $4 trillion to nan nationalist indebtedness is simply a non-starter for me,” Paul wrote connected X during nan week of June 8. “That’s not fiscally conservative. At all.”

Paul besides said nan snub made him “lose a batch of respect” for nan president.

“They are acrophobic of what I’m saying, truthful they deliberation they’re going to punish me,” he said. “I can’t spell to nan picnic.”

Trump, for his part, has taken repeated jabs astatine Paul connected societal media.

“Rand Paul has very small knowing of nan BBB, particularly tremendous maturation that is coming. He loves voting NO connected everything, he thinks it’s bully politics, but it’s not,” he wrote. “Never has immoderate applicable aliases constructive ideas. His ideas are really crazy (losers!). The group of Kentucky can’t guidelines him.”

Sen. Paul’s ballot pivotal successful upcoming vote

Paul’s ballot remains pivotal. With Republicans holding a constrictive 53-47 Senate majority, Trump tin spend to suffer nary much than 3 GOP senators if he hopes to walk nan bill. Several Republicans – including Sens. Mitch McConnell, Ky., Lisa Murkowski, Alaska, Mike Lee, Utah, and Ron Johnson, Wis., – person besides expressed concerns astir nan bill’s cost.