U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), one of three Senate Republicans to vote against President Donald Trump‘s signature One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), continues to complain publicly about the current U.S. economy, despite criticism from Trump. The President has called Paul “a nasty liddle’ guy” who “loves voting ‘NO’ on everything” and that “the GREAT people of Kentucky will never forgive him.”
As seen below on The Conversation with Dasha Burns, Paul admits that he’s a lone wolf in Congress, explaining: “You rarely can persuade somebody into doing something that they’re not inclined to do.” He added, “I don’t think I’m going to persuade anybody. They have to be persuaded on their own.”
Farmers are hurting. Inflation is squeezing every worker. And tariffs are making it worse. We can’t print enough money to paper over bad policy. pic.twitter.com/08bbos3gD6
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) October 24, 2025
Paul provided an example of what he calls a “narrative of hypocrisy.” Noting that there are probably about about ten farm states in the U.S., Paul said, “that means there are 20 Senators who have always believed in fair trade, and they’re all grumbling, and they’re all like ‘China isn’t buying any of our soybeans this year.’ The tariff war with China has led to this and they don’t have the guts, because it is their President, and frankly, they are afraid. They are afraid that he will do to them what he’s trying to do to me. That’s too bad.”
When asked if there is private dissent in Congress “behind closed doors,” Paul said “most of the farm state Senators on trade still believe in their heart of hearts that they’re for free trade and that they would stand up, but the economy hasn’t been damaged enough for them to have a position to. I think if there is a significant downturn in the economy, I think more will stand up.”
“I think the farm economy hangs on by a thread and now they’re talking about ‘Oh well, tariffs, yeah, maybe they aren’t so good for farmers, maybe we’ll give some farmers some taxpayer money.’ I don’t think you can print up enough money for farms because I think you’re going to have farm disaster.”
Paul warned of a “Farmageddon” where farmers’ products “will be sitting in the fields from nobody buying it, and the bank coming for your farm.”
He noted how the Farmageddon would affect non-farming Americans, saying, “If you have a collapse in the farming economy, I think you’re going to see a precipitous change in the economy and there is going to be a crippling effect in textiles, garments, all the things people import. Eventually the price is going to go to the consumer.”
Paul’s fellow Kentucky lawmaker, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), shared the interview and wrote: “@RandPaul is right. My primary next May is about more than just me: it’s about the direction of the GOP and whether it will be the party of endless war, debt, and inflation or the party of fiscal and international restraint.”
Note: Trump said this week that U.S. cattle ranchers “don’t understand” how they have benefitted from his tariffs, and wrote on social media: “They also have to get their prices down, because the consumer is a very big factor in my thinking, also!”
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) pushed back on Trump’s idea to allow more Argentine beef imports at lower tariff rates, announcing: “Cattlemen and women cannot stand behind President Trump while he undercuts the future of family farmers and ranchers by importing Argentinian beef. It is imperative that @POTUS and @SecRollins let cattle markets work without interference.”
Paul summarized his stance: “Farmers are hurting. Inflation is squeezing every worker. And tariffs are making it worse. We can’t print enough money to paper over bad policy.”
Asked yesterday on Air Force One about the impact of his controversial trade wars on American farmers, Trump said: ‘We’re going to subsidize them and we’ll give them some money because it’s not their fault. They’ve been doing very well. They did very well under me. Even if you look at the ranchers, the ranchers for the first time in years have made some money, but the beef prices are up a little bit. So, we’ll have to make a determination, but the ranchers are very happy because, you know, for many years they suffered. Now they’re making a little money. They’re making some money and that’s a good thing. You know, I’m happy about that. So, we’ll see. But we’ll see beyond that point. We’ll see.”
(Note: The other two Republican Senators who voted against Trump’s OBBBA were Susan Collins of Maine, who is being challenged by Democratic Maine Governor Janet Mills in her re-election effort, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who is retiring.)