Rand Paul’s Complaint About Trump Picnic Invite Mocked: ‘School Girl’

Senator Rand Paul told reporters on Capitol Hill that he was uninvited from the annual White House picnic, prompting some social media users to say he was complaining “like a school girl.”

Political commentators also mocked Paul for backing President Donald Trump for so long only to get angry over a picnic invitation.

Newsweek has contacted Paul for comment outside normal working hours.

Why It Matters

Paul is one of few Republican senators who has been critical of some of the Trump administration’s policies, including the president’s tariffs. Recently, Paul has been a vocal opponent of the Trump-backed “One Big Beautiful Bill,” objecting to its proposed increase of the national debt ceiling.

The bill is being debated in the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53-47 majority. While the president wants to sign the spending bill into law by July 4, the legislation is unlikely to pass the upper chamber if even a handful of GOP senators vote against it.

The Kentucky Republican told reporters that being uninvited from the White House would not make him more likely to vote for Trump’s policies.

What To Know

Paul has expressed his frustration at the move, which he called “incredibly petty.” He told reporters that he believed he was the first senator to ever be uninvited from the White House picnic. He added that the White House ultimately belonged to the taxpayers, not the president.

His complaint has sparked bipartisan mockery online. Vince Langman, a self-described member of the MAGA movement, told his 381,000 followers on X, formerly Twitter: “Rand Paul crying like a school girl because President Trump uninvited him from the White House picnic is the funniest thing I’ve seen on X in weeks.”

Ron Filipkowski, the editor-in-chief of the Trump-critical MeidasTouch, wrote on X, “After all the s**t that Trump has done for the last 10 years, the bridge too far for Rand Paul was getting uninvited to a picnic.”

The White House hosts events for members of Congress throughout the year, and the upcoming picnic is being held for politicians and their families. According to Paul, every Democrat and Republican in Congress will be invited, while he “will be the only one disallowed to come on the grounds of the White House.”

“The level of immaturity is beyond words,” he added.

Paul said he was not sure whether the move came from the president or from his “petty staffers,” whom he accused of “running a paid influencer against me for two weeks on Twitter.”

The senator stressed that he had been critical of several presidencies, but that this was the first time a president had “decided to declare war on my family.”

Some X users supported the senator, with one writing, “Rand Paul might be a thorn in our side at times, but he’s respected, and I appreciate him.”

“He has never waived in his principles,” the user continued. “It’s a value that’s to be admired.”

Paul recently criticized the president over a military parade scheduled to take place this weekend, saying, “That it isn’t necessarily the best image to show.” The event is set to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army on Saturday, which is also Trump’s 79th birthday.

What People Are Saying

Republican Senator Rand Paul told reporters: “I’m arguing from a true belief and worry that our country is mired in debt and getting worse, and they choose to react by uninviting my grandson to the picnic. I don’t know. It really makes me lose a lot of respect I once had for Donald Trump.”

George Conway, a lawyer and political activist who frequently criticizes the president, wrote on X: “Being uninvited from the White House caused Rand Paul to lose a lot of the respect he had for Donald Trump that Trump’s two impeachments, insurrection, four criminal indictments, criminal conviction, and sexual abuse damages verdict did not cause him to lose. Got it.”

What Happens Next

The “One Big Beautiful Bill” continues to make its way through the legislative process. Paul previously said he would be willing to vote for it if changes were made to the debt aspects of the bill.