Louisiana’s straight-shooting Senator John Kennedy has built a reputation for his no-bull approach to politics.
The quick-witted Republican from the Bayou State fires off Southern-fried zingers that slice through the DC baloney faster than a hot knife through butter, making establishment types on both sides clutch their pearls.
But Kennedy’s latest comments about fellow Republican Senator Rand Paul left GOP members stunned.
Kennedy throws Rand Paul under the bus on Trump’s budget bill
President Donald Trump’s ambitious budget reconciliation package has been making its way through Congress, with Republicans largely rallying behind what Trump has dubbed his “One Big, Beautiful” budget bill.
However, the path to passage in the Senate hasn’t been smooth sailing, with some GOP members expressing concerns about various provisions. Among the holdouts are Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.
During an appearance on Fox Business Network’s show with Larry Kudlow on Tuesday, Kennedy made it clear that he expects the bill to pass in some form, but he didn’t hold back when addressing Paul’s expected opposition.
“We’ll end up passing something. I don’t know what that something will look like,” Kennedy told Kudlow. “Senator Johnson makes some good points. We do need to work towards spending less in this bill.”
But then Kennedy delivered a brutal assessment of his Kentucky colleague that has Washington talking.
“It won’t be unanimous on our side. Senator Paul, who I respect, isn’t going to vote for anything, ever. I mean, he’s just not. So you just gotta throw that one away,” Kennedy declared.
The candid remarks about a fellow Republican senator raised eyebrows across Capitol Hill, with many seeing it as Kennedy acknowledging what they view as Paul’s reputation for being a consistent “no” vote regardless of the legislation.
Kennedy pushes for spending cuts but acknowledges political reality
While Kennedy didn’t spare Paul in his comments, he also made it clear where he stands on the budget bill itself, positioning himself as a fiscal conservative who’s willing to cut deep.
“I will support reducing spending to the point that we run out of votes,” Kennedy stated, emphasizing his willingness to push for significant spending reductions.
But the Louisiana senator also recognized the political reality of passing legislation in a narrowly divided Senate, adding, “I mean, we’ve got to pass a bill, and some people have a greater appetite for reducing spending—I’m one of them—than others.”
Kennedy also expressed concerns about some of the changes made to the legislation in the House, specifically mentioning modifications to the SALT (State and Local Tax) deduction.
Kennedy warns Republican leadership against dragging out negotiations
As negotiations continue over the budget bill, Kennedy also issued a warning to Senate Republican leadership about the dangers of letting the process drag on too long.
“If I were Senator Thune, though, I would give us a time limit,” Kennedy advised, referring to Senate Republican Whip John Thune. “This bill’s not like wine—it doesn’t get better with age.”
Kennedy suggested a specific timeframe for wrapping up negotiations, stating, “We’ve got to wrap this up in about the next 60 days, and probably the president will have to get involved.”
This timeline would put a potential vote sometime in late July, allowing Republicans to showcase a major legislative achievement heading into the final months before the November elections.
Trump has been pushing Congressional Republicans to deliver a budget package that fulfills his campaign promises on spending priorities while also addressing concerns about the national debt. The president’s involvement in the negotiations, as Kennedy suggested might be necessary, could help bridge the divides within the Republican caucus.
For his part, Paul has consistently voted against budget bills that he believes don’t do enough to address federal spending and the national debt. While Kennedy claimed to “respect” Paul before dismissing his vote as a lost cause, the blunt assessment reflects the frustration some Republicans feel about Paul’s unwillingness to compromise for the sake of passing legislation.
With a razor-thin majority in the Senate, Republicans can only afford to lose a few votes if they hope to pass the budget reconciliation package without Democratic support.
As negotiations continue, Kennedy’s comments highlight the challenge Republican leaders face in crafting a bill that can satisfy enough members of their diverse caucus to reach the finish line.
