Donald Trump appeared to make a dig at Sen. Rand Paul by suggesting he “snuck” into Thursday night’s congressional picnic—despite having been invited after a war of words with the White House.
Addressing the bipartisan crowd on the White House lawn, Trump seemed to allude to a recent dust-up between himself and Paul, who has vocally opposed the GOP’s budget and the $45 million military parade for the Army’s 250th anniversary on Saturday, which is also Trump’s birthday.
“We have so many of our congressmen, and we have some senators in here, I have to tell you,” Trump said from the balcony. “They snuck in, but that’s okay. They wanted to be here.”
On Wednesday, Paul said Trump had revoked his family’s invitation, and accused the president of being “incredibly petty.”
“The level of immaturity is beyond words,” Paul said at the time, adding that the move had caused him to “lose a lot of respect I once had for Donald Trump.”
Yet the following morning, Trump took to Truth Social to say that “of course” Paul and his family could come.
“He’s the toughest vote in the history of the U.S. Senate, but why wouldn’t he be?” Trump wrote. “Besides, it gives me more time to get his Vote on the Great, Big, Beautiful Bill, one of the greatest and most important pieces of legislation ever put before our Senators & Congressmen/women. It will help to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! I look forward to seeing Rand. The Party will be Great!”
Trump’s aside Thursday may also have had to do with Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, who has long been a thorn in Trump’s side from the right; most recently with his vote against the GOP’s budget which passed the House by a single vote.
On Thursday morning, Massie claimed the White House had withheld his invitation.
“Incredibly petty & shortsighted of Trump’s staff to exclude Republicans from the annual White House picnic while inviting Pelosi and every Democrat,” Massie posted on X, a few hours before Trump cleared the air regarding Paul. “I always give my few tickets to my staff and their kids, but apparently this year my tickets have been withheld as well. Low class.”
It wasn’t immediately clear whether Massie ultimately attended the picnic.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment from the Daily Beast, nor did Massie’s office.
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