Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) criticized the country’s $1.5 trillion defense budget, arguing that it is contributing to America’s internal deterioration.
Speaking to Maria Bartiromo of Fox Business on Tuesday, Paul expressed his concerns over the U.S. defense budget and called it “fiscally irresponsible.” He argued that the greatest threat to America is not an invasion from abroad, but rather its internal deterioration.
Paul also voiced his discomfort with the military budget on X.
“I’m not comfortable with a $1.5 trillion defense budget because money doesn’t grow on trees,” said Paul.
Paul further stated in another X post that he doesn’t distinguish between military spending and welfare spending. “Spending is spending,” he said, adding that the country cannot continue to add to its debt. He expressed his support for tax cuts but stated he would vote against any additional spending disguised as a win.
More spending disguised as a win? I’ll vote no. Washington has a spending addiction, and I’m not feeding it,” Paul wrote.
This is not the first time Sen. Paul has criticized government spending. In March, he urged the Trump administration to stop spending amid an ‘insolvent’ Treasury. He introduced a federal budget resolution to balance on-budget outlays and revenues by cutting six cents off every projected dollar spent over the next five fiscal years.
He also slammed the projected $700 billion Iran war spending amid a $2 trillion deficit, emphasizing that America’s true vulnerabilities are fiscal rather than military. He criticized the unchecked nature of mandatory domestic programs like Medicare and Social Security, which consume revenue before military add-ons are even considered.
Beyond excessive spending, Paul has repeatedly argued that tackling waste, fraud, and inefficiency should be a top budget priority. Last month, he reacted to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent‘s shocking $500 billion fraud estimate, praising the Trump administration for its efforts to combat widespread government fraud.
Not just Paul but Sen. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) also warned that President Donald Trump’s policies, including the “Big Beautiful Bill,” Iran war spending, and Republican spending measures, could push the 2026 budget deficit toward $2 trillion, with debt interest costs potentially exceeding federal spending.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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