‘Not sure he’s open to changing.’ Why Rand Paul is holding out on Trump
Even as Donald Trump has maintained a mammoth polling lead over his Republican presidential primary opponents this summer, Rand Paul is keeping his 2024 options open.
The senator who tangled with Trump in 2016 before backing him said he’s refraining from endorsing a White House contender for now to watch and consider who is best suited to defeat President Joe Biden next fall.
In an interview with McClatchy, Paul expressed mixed feelings about the former president, who is declining to partake in the first GOP primary debate in Milwaukee Wednesday night.
“I think every independent in the country has made a decision about Donald Trump. I don’t think that they’re really open to sort of seeing that he would change. And I’m not sure he’s open to changing,” Paul said.
On the other hand, Paul believes Trump would more effectively execute his anti-interventionist foreign policy dogma than any of the other Republicans running.
“For someone like me who thinks war should be the last resort, and we shouldn’t be bankrupting the country financing other wars and we sure as heck shouldn’t have troops everywhere, Trump actually is probably the least likely to have us involved in a foreign war of all the candidates,” Paul said. “I think Vivek [Ramaswamy has] been pretty good on some of the foreign war stuff too and [Ron] DeSantis not too bad.”
Others like South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley and former Vice President Mike Pence are far too hawkish for Paul to consider.
Just 14 of the Senate’s 49 Republicans – or 28% – have endorsed in the 2024 presidential contest so far, with Trump boasting the most endorsements at 10. Both of North Dakota’s senators are backing their homestate governor, Doug Burgum, and both of South Dakota’s senators are behind Scott.
Paul has met with Trump, DeSantis and Ramaswamy, suggesting that he’s open to eventually backing one of those three.
Paul recalled that in 2015, when he was an underdog presidential candidate, his staff advised him “whatever you do, don’t attack Trump.”
Paul ended up going right at Trump from the periphery of the stage, triggering a colorful, if temporary, rivalry between the two men.
The lesson, Paul conveyed on Fox News Tuesday night, to the lesser candidates: “You don’t get as many questions, you don’t get as much time. And your only chance really is to jump in and go after the front-runner.”
Trump’s absence makes it tougher to stick a direct attack on the front-runner Wednesday night.
But Paul wants to see a “spirited debate” for the nomination, even though he may not watch the first debate himself.
Paul is scheduled to appear at events for Republican nominee for governor Daniel Cameron in Louisville Wednesday and Thursday.
“After doing three hours of politics, it’s not always my favorite thing to watch another hour or two of politics,” Paul said.
This story was originally published August 23, 2023 at 4:28 PM with the headline "‘Not sure he’s open to changing.’ Why Rand Paul is holding out on Trump."
