Rand Paul: I Won’t Support Iran Supplemental, Biggest Threat Is Debt

[mystery-ak]

Rand Paul: I Won’t Support Iran Supplemental, Biggest Threat Is Debt

Ian Hanchett 12 Mar 2026

During an interview with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said that he won’t vote for a supplemental bill and “the biggest threat to our country and to our national security is our debt. And so I think adding more to our debt doesn’t make us safer. It actually will make us more in danger to be further in debt.”

After Paul voiced his objection to Congress not weighing in on Operation Epic Fury, host Joe Mathieu asked, “So, will that make it difficult for you to vote to support a supplemental budget request, assuming that does arrive, as we’ve heard?”

Paul answered, “I think the biggest threat to our country and to our national security is our debt. And so I think adding more to our debt doesn’t make us safer. It actually will make us more in danger to be further in debt. So, the administration has said they want to increase the budget by 50%. That sounds like a large increase from a trillion to 1.5 trillion. And then, in the meantime, they may ask for another 50 billion or so, maybe 100. They’re already talking about, well, we’ve got to give the farmers some money, the tariffs aren’t so good for farmers. And instead of removing the tariffs that are hurting the farmers, they’re going to give the farmers some money. And then they’re like, well, we’ve had some disasters around here. So, we’re going to do military, disasters, a stipend for the farmers since the tariffs are hurting them. It’ll be a mess, and it’ll be something that anybody who’s fiscally conservative will not support.”

Mathieu asked, “So, you’re a no regardless of the number, it sounds like?”

Paul responded, “Yeah, no, because we — right now, our military, we spend more on our military than the next ten countries combined. So, for people to argue we’re not spending enough, we’re spending more than the next ten countries combined. We spend plenty on our military. It needs to be spent wisely, but they’ve spent an extraordinary amount on two wars. We’ve had two wars in one month. For goodness’ [sake], they’re talking about another war with Cuba, as we speak. So, yeah, they cost money. They cost lives, most importantly, but they also cost money. And I’m just not for — I’m not — I wasn’t for the war in Venezuela, I’m not for the war in Iran, and I’m certainly not for a war with Cuba.”

https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/03/12/rand-paul-i-wont-support-iran-supplemental-biggest-threat-is-debt/

[mystery-ak]

Van Hollen: I’m a ‘Hell No’ Vote on More Money for Trump’s ‘Illegal, Reckless War’

Wednesday on MS NOW’s “All In,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) unsurprisingly said he would not vote for more money for President Donald Trump’s “illegal, reckless war” in Iran.

https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/03/11/van-hollen-im-a-hell-no-vote-on-more-money-for-trumps-illegal-reckless-war/

[rustynail]

Rand Paul: 'I Won’t Support'.  Is that his nickname?

[Wingnut]

Rand Paul: 'I Won’t Support'.  Is that his nickname?

I think I understand why Rands neighbor waxed his ass. 

[libertybele]

I think I understand why Rands neighbor waxed his ass.

Sigh. Truly not funny .... (but it did make me laugh) .... 

[catfish1957]

I heard someone say that a Libertarian is nothing more than a Conservative who smokes weed.

Lay off the Ganja Rand......

[DefiantMassRINO]

The biggest threat to national security is the hubris of our elites.

[Free Vulcan]

I guess I don't mind his stance, but it's guys like Paul and Massie among others in the GOP who don't hardly do anything, especially against the Rats, but are quick to get in front of the camera and oppose something the GOP is doing.

[roamer_1]

I guess I don't mind his stance, but it's guys like Paul and Massie among others in the GOP who don't hardly do anything, especially against the Rats, but are quick to get in front of the camera and oppose something the GOP is doing.

Canary in the coalmine, as I said elsewhere... It is astonishing to me how many folks expect conservatives to compromise principles.

Without a strong Christian ethic and a libertarian conscience, and fiscal prudence, you won't have conservatism anymore - As is being made glaringly more obvious daily.

[BobfromWB]

Paul has no regard for the well being of US troops, and absent 47's operation, he would be waiting until Iran used its first nuke before complaining that 47 should have "done something".

[libertybele]

All wars cost money.  Defense is expensive.  Trump is doing what he can to 'contain' Iran and they've been repeatedly bombarded, but the extent of their arsenal has been surprising. Their attacks on Israel have been relentless.  It was either Iran or the U.S. and Rand can't see that and support defending our country?  It's one thing to be a fiscal conservative and its another not to support the needs of the U.S. to protect ourselves against our enemies.

Rand is an isolationist.  A fiscal libertarian.  I get that, but lately he's made some comments and has voted that do NOT support IMHO the best interests of this country right now.

[Free Vulcan]

Canary in the coalmine, as I said elsewhere... It is astonishing to me how many folks expect conservatives to compromise principles.

Without a strong Christian ethic and a libertarian conscience, and fiscal prudence, you won't have conservatism anymore - As is being made glaringly more obvious daily.

And that's the problem. As legislators their job is not to be lecturing and scolding us on constitutionality like a chalkboard academian, they need to back it up with action.

If for example they are concerned about how the money is spent, then they should be all over this multi-state govt bennies fraud, leading the charge, yet I've heard barely a peep if I can recall any at all. What I mostly see them do is run for the cameras when they can grab some face time. Color me skeptical.

[roamer_1]

And that's the problem. As legislators their job is not to be lecturing and scolding us on constitutionality like a chalkboard academian, they need to back it up with action.

If for example they are concerned about how the money is spent, then they should be all over this multi-state govt bennies fraud, leading the charge, yet I've heard barely a peep if I can recall any at all. What I mostly see them do is run for the cameras when they can grab some face time. Color me skeptical.

That ain't right. Rand Paul has been in the vanguard of libertarian conservatism for decades, and his daddy before him.

Of course he is against foreign entanglements, big government, and war, just like he always has been. Expecting him to reverse those long held principles because there is a big spending, big government, war mongering Republican president is completely beyond the pale.

This administration is costing even more than Biden's - Another trillion and a half - It is no surprise that Paul says we can't afford it - He's right.

In fact, folks ought to listen to Rand Paul and remember.

[Wingnut]

That ain't right. Rand Paul has been in the vanguard of libertarian conservatism for decades, and his daddy before him.

Of course he is against foreign entanglements, big government, and war, just like he always has been. Expecting him to reverse those long held principles because there is a big spending, big government, war mongering Republican president is completely beyond the pale.

This administration is costing even more than Biden's - Another trillion and a half - It is no surprise that Paul says we can't afford it - He's right.

In fact, folks ought to listen to Rand Paul and remember.

Roams, I love you big guy,  But sometimes "Cost" is not a reason. 

[roamer_1]

Roams, I love you big guy,  But sometimes "Cost" is not a reason.

Yes Wings, cost is always a reason. There is always a price to pay.

[DB]

Yes Wings, cost is always a reason. There is always a price to pay.

Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. Period. Some costs have to be paid before the cost of doing nothing becomes unbearable.

[catfish1957]

Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. Period. Some costs have to be paid before the cost of doing nothing becomes unbearable.

@roamer_1

@DB

Iran during negotiation brazenly admitted to having enough enriched Pl to make 11 nukes.

Say 8 of those 11 were aimed at us.  Is this war worth preventing DC, NYC, LA, Houston, Chciago, Dallas, and few others getting hit?  What would be the "cost" of that?

[cato potatoe]

Iran during negotiation brazenly admitted to having enough enriched Pl to make 11 nukes.

Say 8 of those 11 were aimed at us.  Is this war worth preventing DC, NYC, LA, Houston, Chciago, Dallas, and few others getting hit?  What would be the "cost" of that?

Question is whether it was a negotiating tactic to get the sanctions lifted, similar to 2015.  The Omani mediator said Iran had offered to end stockpiling, downblend enriched uranium to fuel levels, and full verification.  But our negotiators, two ardent zionists, were demanding zero enrichment and zero ballistic missiles. 

It just seems like one hell of a scandal in the making as the costs rise.  Netanyahu was furious about the JCPOA and has been screaming for regime change for at least 30 years.  Is our government serving our interests, or his?

[catfish1957]

Question is whether it was a negotiating tactic to get the sanctions lifted, similar to 2015.  The Omani mediator said Iran had offered to end stockpiling, downblend enriched uranium to fuel levels, and full verification.  But our negotiators, two ardent zionists, were demanding zero enrichment and zero ballistic missiles. 

It just seems like one hell of a scandal in the making as the costs rise.  Netanyahu was furious about the JCPOA and has been screaming for regime change for at least 30 years.  Is our government serving our interests, or his?

I am an old guy and was in College when the Iranian Revolution took place.  We had Iranian students all over the place, and their obnoxious zealousness and hate of America was profound. 

Then add watching the news every night for 444 days, and seeing the parading American Servicemen in utter disgusting fashion?  These SOB's had it coming. Aim a nuke at us?  You bet.    And I am hardly a Zionist,  You just haven't experienced the history,  and understand that this level of extreme Islamic craziness and western culture is 100% incompatible with ours.  This has been true for 900 years. 

For years my tag line at TOS was  "All I needed learn about Islam, I learned on September 11, 2001".   That hasn't changed. 

[BobfromWB]

Question is whether it was a negotiating tactic to get the sanctions lifted, similar to 2015.  The Omani mediator said Iran had offered to end stockpiling, downblend enriched uranium to fuel levels, and full verification.  But our negotiators, two ardent zionists, were demanding zero enrichment and zero ballistic missiles. 

It just seems like one hell of a scandal in the making as the costs rise.  Netanyahu was furious about the JCPOA and has been screaming for regime change for at least 30 years.  Is our government serving our interests, or his?

You, like too many others, think that Iran is making nukes to defend its self.

Iran is making nukes to use them. Its a religious thing. Like they are continuing to be patriotically defiant - its not that  - its a religious thing.

Iran's Mullahs actively want to bring all of humanity to Paradise, the sooner the better - its a religious thing.

Unless of course you believe the Mad Mullahs have a right to make and use nukes to help bring you and the rest of us to the Islamic Shia Paradise to be with Mohammad and friends ...

[cato potatoe]

I am an old guy and was in College when the Iranian Revolution took place.  We had Iranian students all over the place, and their obnoxious zealousness and hate of America was profound. 

Then add watching the news every night for 444 days, and seeing the parading American Servicemen in utter disgusting fashion?  These SOB's had it coming. Aim a nuke at us?  You bet.    And I am hardly a Zionist,  You just haven't experienced the history,  and understand that this level of extreme Islamic craziness and western culture is 100% incompatible with ours.  This has been true for 900 years. 

For years my tag line at TOS was  "All I needed learn about Islam, I learned on September 11, 2001".   That hasn't changed.

To understand the emnity of the revolutionaries towards the United States, it is only fair to consider our actions prior to 1979.  If some foreign power (at the behest of oil companies) orchestrated a coup to overthrow our republic and install a puppet dictator, I assume we would hold them in contempt. 

Remember the US government also gave meaningful support to Saddam Hussein during his eight year war with Iran, even though it was aware Iraq was using chemical weapons.  So that doesn't help, and nor do the decades of sanctions.

[BobfromWB]

To understand the emnity of the revolutionaries towards the United States, it is only fair to consider our actions prior to 1979.  If some foreign power (at the behest of oil companies) orchestrated a coup to overthrow our republic and install a puppet dictator, I assume we would hold them in contempt. 

Remember the US government also gave meaningful support to Saddam Hussein during his eight year war with Iran, even though it was aware Iraq was using chemical weapons.  So that doesn't help, and nor do the decades of sanctions.

If overthrowing the Shah's government made the Mullahs hold the US in contempt, then you are rewriting history.

The Mullahs do not hold the US in contempt, the demand a religious action: kill kill kill, as Mohammad famously cried.

Its not just Israel and the US the call death upon, but the rest of the world and every living human being. They are do not think like Christians, Jews, or Hindus. The Mullahs are functionally insane.

Similar groups:

Jonestown;
Heaven’s Gate;
Order of the Solar Temple;
Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God;

These groups are characterized by extreme beliefs, charismatic leaders, and tragic mass deaths - often involving suicide, murder, or both - driven by apocalyptic prophecies and intense control.

And the Shia 12er Mullahs of Iran - the grand daddy of them all.

[cato potatoe]

You, like too many others, think that Iran is making nukes to defend its self.

Iran is making nukes to use them. Its a religious thing. Like they are continuing to be patriotically defiant - its not that  - its a religious thing.

Iran's Mullahs actively want to bring all of humanity to Paradise, the sooner the better - its a religious thing.

Unless of course you believe the Mad Mullahs have a right to make and use nukes to help bring you and the rest of us to the Islamic Shia Paradise to be with Mohammad and friends ...

That's what Netanyahu has been telling us since the 1980s.  Iran is perpetually weeks away from having a nuke, and yet the ayatollah issued a fatwa, and there has never been any indication their government made the political decision to develop a bomb. 

Granted, things have changed.  The regime knows we are an existential threat, and the US will likely have to send troops to remove the enriched uranium.

So we lay waste to another part of the middle east and move on to our next adventure.  Tell you what, if I'm Erdogan (who is in the crosshairs of the Israelis) or any leader of a country with petroleum or rare earth minerals, we are getting a nuclear ICBM as soon as possible.

[Wingnut]

That's what Netanyahu has been telling us since the 1980s.  Iran is perpetually weeks away from having a nuke, and yet the ayatollah issued a fatwa, and there has never been any indication their government made the political decision to develop a bomb. 

Granted, things have changed.  The regime knows we are an existential threat, and the US will likely have to send troops to remove the enriched uranium.

So we lay waste to another part of the middle east and move on to our next adventure.  Tell you what, if I'm Erdogan (who is in the crosshairs of the Israelis) or any leader of a country with petroleum or rare earth minerals, we are getting a nuclear ICBM as soon as possible.

Aren't you just a ray of sunshine.

[Hoodat]

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)  . . . “the biggest threat to our country and to our national security is our debt. And so I think adding more to our debt doesn’t make us safer. It actually will make us more in danger to be further in debt.”

100% accurate.

[Hoodat]

Canary in the coalmine, as I said elsewhere... It is astonishing to me how many folks expect conservatives to compromise principles.

Without a strong Christian ethic and a libertarian conscience, and fiscal prudence, you won't have conservatism anymore - As is being made glaringly more obvious daily.

Truth.

Besides, there's plenty of money to fund this war if we would stop wasting it elsewhere.  You would be surprised at how much money would be available if we simply stopped funding Obamacare.  But I don't see Congress doing that.

[roamer_1]

Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. Period. Some costs have to be paid before the cost of doing nothing becomes unbearable.

War is always justified, like in kind. As if there is no other way.

Now, that being said, Iran has been asking for an ass-kicking for a long, long time.There are a thousand ways to justify it - *just* the attacks made upon our navy would be cause enough.

Still, I remain opposed to war. It should nearly always be the last resort.
In that I will stand with Rand Paul. It really doesn't matter which justification is used. Always war should be avoided.

However, once war has been declared, I move quickly to a position of support - As I feel a need to align with our troops on foreign soil. I don't ever like it. but I understand that cause.

[Wingnut]

100% accurate.

Right argument.  Wrong time.  Rand is off in the weeds.

[roamer_1]

@roamer_1

@DB

Iran during negotiation brazenly admitted to having enough enriched Pl to make 11 nukes.

Say 8 of those 11 were aimed at us.  Is this war worth preventing DC, NYC, LA, Houston, Chciago, Dallas, and few others getting hit?  What would be the "cost" of that?

Sounds to me like a job for the spooks.

[Smokin Joe]

Canary in the coalmine, as I said elsewhere... It is astonishing to me how many folks expect conservatives to compromise principles.

Without a strong Christian ethic and a libertarian conscience, and fiscal prudence, you won't have conservatism anymore - As is being made glaringly more obvious daily.

Just put an end to the fraud funding and we'd have plenty...instead of lining the pockets of Somalis and others.

[libertybele]

Just put an end to the fraud funding and we'd have plenty...instead of lining the pockets of Somalis and others.

 

[Hoodat]

Just put an end to the fraud funding and we'd have plenty...instead of lining the pockets of Somalis and others.

Exactly.  Currently, the Republicans control both houses of Congress and the White House.  In the last budget vote, they had a choice - either prepare for a confrontation, or continue giving free shit to illegals.  They chose the latter.

[roamer_1]

Just put an end to the fraud funding and we'd have plenty...instead of lining the pockets of Somalis and others.

Yet somehow that's costing a trillion and a half MORE than Biden's administration.Says here that something ain't right with that.

[massadvj]

Rand Paul has been the only consistent originalist, constitutionalist in the entire Congress. God bless him. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

[Hoodat]

Yet somehow that's costing a trillion and a half MORE than Biden's administration. Says here that something ain't right with that.

Just the interest on our national debt at 4% is costing us $1.5 trillion a year.  This is what 69 consecutive years of ignoring Conservative got ya.  It has been that many years since we last lived within our means.

You want war money?  THEN STOP BORROWING MONEY TO HAND OUT FREE SHIT TO ILLEGALS AND LEFTISTS !!!!

[roamer_1]

Just the interest on our national debt at 4% is costing us $1.5 trillion a year.  This is what 69 consecutive years of ignoring Conservative got ya.  It has been that many years since we last lived within our means.

You want war money?  THEN STOP BORROWING MONEY TO HAND OUT FREE SHIT TO ILLEGALS AND LEFTISTS !!!!

And in that, Rand Paul is exactly right.

[roamer_1]

What's your dollar worth today compared even to a 1980 dollar? Maybe 30 cents... That's where this spending shows up. they print and spend. And every time they do, your dollar loses value. And this administration ain't no different than the last one in that.

Sure y'all like it better, because of all the shiny shit y'all are getting... Different than the Democrat shiny shit, and more to your liking... but every bit of it, no matter which side of the aisle, it all costs money.

Money we don't have.

[jmyrlefuller]

Our debt is all in fiat money. Print some, pay it off, start over with a more robustly backed currency.

[BobfromWB]

What's your dollar worth today compared even to a 1980 dollar? Maybe 30 cents... That's where this spending shows up. they print and spend. And every time they do, your dollar loses value. And this administration ain't no different than the last one in that.

Sure y'all like it better, because of all the shiny shit y'all are getting... Different than the Democrat shiny shit, and more to your liking... but every bit of it, no matter which side of the aisle, it all costs money.

Money we don't have.

Calculation seems to be today's dollar is worth $0.25 compared to a 1980 $1.

[libertybele]

Our debt is all in fiat money. Print some, pay it off, start over with a more robustly backed currency.

Go back to the Gold standard.  Unfortunately though Australia, China and Russia are the world's top gold producers. That needs to change.

Also, I'm not sure that the U.S. has as much gold as claimed.