Trump mocks Rand Paul as ‘automatic no’ after snubbing him from Rose Garden Club lunch

WASHINGTON, DC: GOP Senator Rand Paul has revealed that he was not invited to President Donald Trump’s exclusive Rose Garden Club lunch at the White House on Tuesday, October 21, sparking a round of teasing, public jabs, and a mini intra-party feud that quickly spilled onto social media.

The high-profile lunch, which featured nearly every Republican senator gathered under yellow umbrellas in the Rose Garden, turned into a full-fledged show of party unity amid a weeks-long government shutdown. However, the president used part of his speech to poke fun at one noticeable absence. 

Trump mocks Rand Paul for skipping White House lunch

“Everybody showed up… we’re just missing one person, you’ll never guess who that is,” Trump said, drawing laughter from the audience. “He automatically votes no on everything, he thinks it’s good politics, it’s really not good politics. He’s an automatic no.” The president added with a grin, “Look, if he wanted to come, I’d probably let him come, right? I’d let him come. Begrudgingly, but we’d let him come.” 

Laughter rippled through the crowd of Republican senators as cameras rolled, but Rand Paul, 62, was nowhere near the White House. Instead, he was across town attending a “Liberty Caucus Lunch” with Kentucky Rep Thomas Massie.

Rand Paul hits back at Trump with photo from Liberty Caucus lunch

Taking to X, Paul posted a photo of himself seated beside Massie, another frequent Trump critic. “I actually wasn’t invited to the White House lunch today,” Paul wrote, adding, “but that’s ok, I had a previously scheduled Liberty Caucus Lunch with ⁦@MassieforKY.”

Paul and Massie have both drawn the president’s ire for their independence within GOP ranks. Paul was the lone Republican to oppose his party’s multiple attempts to end the ongoing government shutdown, voting “no” eleven times. 

Trump attacks Rand Paul in fiery Truth Social post

The rift escalated when Trump took to Truth Social over the weekend, writing, “Whatever happened to ‘Senator’ Rand Paul? He was never great, but he went really BAD!” “I got him elected, TWICE, but he just never votes positively for the Republican Party. He’s a nasty liddle’ guy,” Trump fumed, before comparing him to Massie and calling the congressman “Rand Paul Jr.”

The post drew sharp reactions, including from Paul’s father, former Congressman Ron Paul, who mocked the outburst on his Liberty Report podcast. “We’re not supposed to run a government like criminals on the street,” the elder Paul said, calling the president’s tone “hysterical.”

Rand Paul downplays Trump feud

Despite the jab, the Kentucky senator brushed off the incident in a later interview. “I don’t take it too seriously,” Paul told 'Meet the Press' host Kristen Welker. “I’ve known the president for over a decade. I’ve played golf with him many, many times, I enjoy his company.”

“I was one of his biggest defenders on impeachment and would do so again,” Paul continued. “I think he’s one of the best presidents, if not the best president, of my lifetime. But it doesn’t mean I’ll sit quietly and say, ‘Oh well, whatever you want to do.’”