Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) questioned former President Trump's commitment to slashing government spending in a heated exchange with top Trump ally Russell Vought during a recent closed-door meeting, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Paul is among a dwindling number of Republicans who've refused to publicly back the former president as the party's 2024 nominee. And those in Trump's orbit are getting antsy.
- "There's a growing sentiment in Trumpworld that Rand can't be trusted, and it's a great disappointment," Trump ally and consultant Alex Bruesewitz told Axios.
Driving the news: Paul grilled Vought on May 22 over the Trump administration's massive spending, comparing it to Democratic administrations, according to two sources familiar with what was said in the lunch.
- Paul said Trump's team had "no credibility" on spending, one source said.
- During the lunch, Vought urged Republicans to kick back this year's government funding fight to 2025 — in part to allow a potential future Trump administration to use the process to slash funding, as Axios reported.
The intrigue: Paul also has a budding relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — whose independent run for president has garnered significant support, prompting the Biden and Trump campaigns to go on the attack.
- A long-time Paul strategist and former chief of staff, Doug Stafford, was on RFK Jr.'s campaign payroll— and received $30,000 in the last reported quarter, according to FEC filings that were first reported by the Washington Free Beacon.
- A Paul staffer told Axios that Stafford no longer works for RFK Jr.'s campaign.
Zoom out: Paul ran against Trump in an insult-laden presidential primary season in 2016. He later became an ardent supporter — endorsing Trump again in 2020, campaigning with him and defending the ex-president during his impeachment trials.
- But Paul hasn't endorsed this time around — and it's unclear whether he will.
- "Trump just endorsed the worst Deep State candidate this cycle," Paul posted on social media earlier this year after the former president backed Rep. Mike Rogers' (R-Mich.) Senate bid in Michigan.
- Rogers supported controversial surveillance authorities under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Paul has been a vocal critic of those.
- Paul did, however, respond to Trump's conviction last Thursday, saying the verdict would "tragically undermine Americans' confidence in impartial justice."
Between the lines: If Republicans take control of the Senate, the margin could be slim. Any dissent could wreak havoc on Trump and the GOP's ambitious plans.
- And Paul is no stranger to using Senate procedure to filibuster and stonewall.
The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
