Trump sharply attacks Republican Rand Paul: "His ideas are actually crazy"

It was a morning of open reckoning when President Donald Trump sharply attacked Republican Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky on his Truth Social platform. The reason was Paul's criticism of Trump's key domestic initiative, the so-called "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (BBB), a comprehensive legislative project that includes tax cuts as well as massive increases in military spending and border security. "Rand Paul has very little understanding of the BBB (Big Beautiful Bill), especially the tremendous growth that is coming," Trump stated in his post. "He loves voting 'NO' on everything and believes that's good politics, but it's not. The BBB is a big WINNER!!!"

In a second post, Trump intensified his tone even more sharply: "Rand votes NO on everything but never has any practical or constructive proposals. His ideas are actually crazy (losers!). The people in Kentucky can't stand him. This is a BIG GROWTH BILL!" The backdrop to this unusually direct attack lies in the deep divide within the Republican Party. On one side are representatives like Paul who see themselves as fiscal conservatives and sound the alarm in light of exploding national debt and rising interest payments. On the other side are Trump and his supporters, who argue that the tax cuts of the BBB would pay for themselves by triggering sustained and robust economic growth.

Paul himself immediately responded to the criticism. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, he once again emphasized his concerns: "I want the tax cuts to remain permanent, but I also want to see the $5 trillion in new debt removed from the bill. At least four of us in the Senate feel the same way." Already over the weekend, he had criticized on CBS that the math behind Trump's BBB simply didn't add up. "This big and beautiful bill is a vehicle for increased spending for the military and border security, about $320 billion in additional spending," Paul explained, calling the bill a product of the military-industrial complex lobbyists. Paul would be willing to support the bill if the planned debt ceiling increase were removed. Currently, U.S. debt stands at an enormous $36.2 trillion, about 122 percent of the gross domestic product.

Other prominent Republicans are also speaking out. Senator Ted Cruz stated on Fox News that the legislative process would be bumpy but ultimately successful in meeting voter promises: "We will secure the border, rebuild the military, and cut taxes." He also hopes the Senate will cut spending more deeply than the House. The opposition, however, sharply warns of the consequences of the bill. Senator Chuck Schumer strongly criticized on X: "For years, Republicans screamed about fiscal responsibility. And now? Now Republicans support a bill that could add over $50 trillion to the national debt over 30 years."

Six Nobel laureates in economics expressed their concern in an open letter, stating that drastic cuts to social programs like Medicaid and SNAP would immediately harm millions of families. The cuts are described as a "sad step backward" in America's commitment to providing access to healthcare. The bill, already passed narrowly in Congress, now faces tough debate in the Republican-controlled Senate. At least five senators have signaled they will not approve it in its current form - a sign that the intra-party controversy is far from over. Trump's unusually clear and personal attack on Rand Paul once again highlights the deep tensions within the Republican Party - a divide likely to generate political friction in the coming weeks.