President Trump is zeroing in on one chief rival in the budget fight this summer — and it’s a fellow member of the GOP. In a series of social media posts and public bashings, the president has made clear that he has no stomach for Senator Paul. 

Dr. Paul has been demanding for weeks that Republican leadership strip a $5 trillion debt limit increase from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in order to win his support. He has said that even though he disagrees with several provisions in the bill, he would likely vote for it if only that part were removed. 

He tells the Sun that, even though other Republicans have similarly said they can’t vote for the legislation, the president is coming after him because he’s “vocal.” That won’t stop him from standing his ground, however. 

“You know, I’m vocal. I’m trying to influence the debate,” Dr. Paul tells the Sun. “I want to vote for the bill, but I want to vote for a bill that doesn’t add $5 trillion to the debt ceiling.”

He says that the debt limit increase — which has to come by mid-July, or America risks default — is a win for big-government types and those who are unserious about cutting federal spending. Dr. Paul says that the White House is asking for a $5 trillion hike is evidence that it plans to add at least that amount within the next two years. 

“It’s the largest increase in the debt ceiling ever,” Dr. Paul insists. “They will say, ‘Well it doesn’t spend any money,’ or, ‘It’s not really adding to the debt.’ They will get to their $5 trillion limit. The question is: sooner or later?”

He says there are “three or four” Republicans who are firm in their opposition to the bill in its current form. Senators Johnson and Hawley both confirmed to the Sun on Tuesday that they cannot support the legislation as written. 

One of Dr. Paul’s colleagues, Senator Rounds, tells the Sun that he does not expect the debt limit increase to change in the bill, and said the GOP may have to move forward without him. Republicans can afford to lose no more than three votes in the Senate in order for it to pass. 

“We have to respect his position. I think, right now, we count him as a no,” Mr. Rounds says. “I think most of us want to see the debt ceiling increased to avoid that problem.”

Mr. Trump’s rage at Dr. Paul has been simmering for weeks, though he seemed especially upset on Tuesday morning after the Kentucky senator bashed the bill during a live interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”

“Rand Paul has very little understanding of the BBB, especially the tremendous GROWTH that is coming. He loves voting ‘NO’ on everything, he thinks it’s good politics, but it’s not,” the president wrote in his mid-morning Truth Social post. 

“Rand votes NO on everything, but never has any practical or constructive ideas,” Mr. Trump wrote in another missive just five minutes later. “His ideas are actually crazy (losers!). The people of Kentucky can’t stand him.”