President Donald Trump said he would have “begrudgingly” allowed the Kentucky senator to attend the lunch if he’d wanted.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said he was not invited to Tuesday’s lunch at the White House with President Donald Trump and other Senate Republicans.
“I actually wasn’t invited to the White House lunch today, but that’s ok I had a previously scheduled Liberty Caucus Lunch with [Rep. Thomas Massie],” Paul posted on X along with a photo of him sitting next to the Kentucky House member. A Trump-backed primary challenger to Massie recently got in the race.
The Rose Garden lunch was a show of unity among Senate Republicans and the president as the government shutdown hits day 21. Paul has been the only Senate Republican to consistently vote against the continuing resolution to fund the government.
Trump on Tuesday thanked Republican leadership at the lunch before alluding to Paul’s absence.
“We have everybody but one person here,” said Trump. “We’re just missing one person. You’ll never guess who that is. Let me give you — he automatically votes no on everything. He thinks it’s good politics. It’s really not good politics.”
Trump added, “But look, if he wanted to come, I’d probably let him come, right? I’d let him come begrudgingly, but would let him come.”
Paul’s office pointed back to his tweet when asked for comment.