Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) says at least four Senate Republicans are opposed to the “big beautiful bill” as the tax bill enters the upper chamber for consideration.
Paul has suggested he won’t vote for the bill because it “explodes” the debt, but said Sunday that he wants to vote for it. President Donald Trump warned Paul against voting against the bill on Saturday.
“There are four of us at this point, and I would be very surprised if the bill at least is not modified in a good direction,” Paul said in a CBS interview. “Look, I want to vote for it. I’m for the tax cuts … but at the same time, I don’t want to raise the debt ceiling $5 trillion.”
Paul said he would vote yes if the raised debt ceiling were removed from the bill. It’s unclear who the other three Republicans are who would vote against the bill, but Politico reported other senators with concerns include Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Susan Collins (R-ME).
Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rick Scott (R-FL) have also expressed concern, the outlet reported.
Paul said he also spoke with Trump about tariffs. “He did most of the talking, and we don’t agree exactly on the outcome. … Republicans used to be for lower taxes. Tariffs are a tax. So if you raise taxes on the private sector, that’s not good for the private sector.”
Trump slammed Paul in a Truth Social post Saturday: “If Senator Rand Paul votes against our Great, Big, Beautiful Bill, he is voting for, along with the Radical Left Democrats, a 68% Tax Increase and, perhaps even more importantly, a first time ever default on U.S. Debt.”
“Rand will be playing right into the hands of the Democrats, and the GREAT people of Kentucky will never forgive him! The GROWTH we are experiencing, plus some cost cutting later on, will solve ALL problems. America will be greater than ever before!” Trump added.
The president said he was open to changes to the bill last week.
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“I want the Senate and the senators to make the changes they want,” he said. “It will go back to the House, and we’ll see if we can get them. In some cases, the changes may be something I’d agree with, to be honest.”
The House passed the “big beautiful bill” on the morning of May 22 with just one Republican voting against it, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY). Like Paul, Massie disagrees with the bill adding to the national debt.