Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is sounding the alarm over President Donald Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” warning that the House-passed version could explode the national debt by as much as $5 trillion.
Speaking Sunday on Fox News Sunday with Shannon Bream, Paul said he supports the bill’s tax cuts but slammed its spending reductions as “wimpy and anemic.”
“The problem is the math doesn’t add up,” Paul said bluntly. “The House says $4 trillion, the Senate’s actually been talking about exploding the debt $5 trillion.”
While the bill includes provisions aimed at curbing certain entitlement programs — such as removing illegal immigrants from Medicaid — and promises to spur economic growth, Paul said that’s not enough. He warned that the U.S. is already facing a $2.2 trillion annual deficit, and without tougher reforms, the bill isn’t serious.
“If they removed the debt ceiling increase — $4 to $5 trillion — I’d consider voting for it,” Paul added.
He criticized both parties for what he sees as a failure to address runaway spending. “There’s got to be someone left in Washington who thinks debt is wrong and deficits are wrong,” Paul said. “The idea that we’re going to explode deficits and… see over $3 trillion in deficits over the next 10 years — it’s just not a serious proposal.”
Paul has proposed a three-month rolling debt ceiling increase to force regular spending cuts, but said many Republicans are now using the same “free stuff” playbook as Democrats.
“Healthcare, spending, and entitlements are driving the $3 trillion deficit,” Paul warned. “And the inflation it triggers ends up hurting the very people these programs claim to help.”
He also lamented the failure to advance spending cut amendments or rescission packages, including some he’s put forward under the DOGE Act (Defending Our Government’s Economy).
With the U.S. national debt nearing $37 trillion, Paul called it the “greatest threat to our national security.”
“Conservatives do need to stand up and have their voice heard,” he concluded. “If we don’t take a stand now, I really fear the direction this country is headed.”