Rand Paul Says Trump-Backed Bill Will Explode National Debt

Senator Rand Paul isn’t mincing words when it comes to the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” making its way through Congress. While many Republicans are championing the bill’s tax relief measures and promises of spending reform, Paul is sounding the alarm: the legislation could add another $4 to $5 trillion to the national debt a burden he warns could derail the country’s future.

In a blunt interview on Fox News Sunday, Paul expressed cautious optimism about the bill’s intentions but warned that its execution could backfire, financially and politically. “The problem is the math doesn’t add up,” Paul said. “They’re going to explode the debt.”

That’s not just hyperbole. America’s national debt now sits at a staggering $36.9 trillion, and the federal government is running an annual deficit of roughly $2.2 trillion.

Paul’s key concerns include:

• The bill’s tax cuts, while welcome, are not paired with meaningful reductions in federal spending.

• The House version could spike the debt by $4 trillion, while Senate estimates push it even higher.

• The proposal lacks a serious framework to deal with entitlement reforms, rescission packages, or federal waste.

To Paul, the promise of fiscal sanity means more than feel-good slogans. “The idea that we’re going to explode deficits and the projections are now looking at over $3 trillion in deficits over the next 10 years it’s just not a serious proposal,” he said.

He also criticized fellow Republicans for following the same dangerous path Democrats have taken for decades buying votes with promises of “free stuff” like government-run healthcare, and paying for it with borrowed money.

And he's not wrong. Consider:

• The U.S. spends over $1.6 billion per day just on interest payments on the debt.

• Inflation remains persistent, with elevated prices disproportionately hitting retirees and working-class families the very people government handouts claim to help.

• Medicaid spending alone exceeded $850 billion in 2023, with billions wasted on illegal immigrants and fraudulent claims.

Paul’s solution? Leverage the debt ceiling to force real cuts. He proposed a plan to raise the debt ceiling in three-month increments giving conservatives a chance to force fiscal reforms before another blank check is signed. But GOP leaders seem reluctant. “They’re adopting the same playbook as the Democrats,” Paul warned.

He called on conservatives to wake up, saying: “There’s got to be someone left in Washington who thinks debt is wrong. This is a problem we’ve been facing for decades now, and if we don’t stand up on it, I really fear the direction the country is going.”

Paul’s message is a reminder that while tax cuts are critical for growth, unchecked spending is the poison pill that could kill the American economy no matter who’s in the White House.

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