Still a no: Rand Paul says $5T debt increase in 'Big, Beautiful Bill' a deal-breaker

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said the debt limit increase included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is still a deal-breaker for him, saying it goes against conservative values, despite discussions with President Donald Trump about his concerns. 

Paul told reporters on Monday that the bill will increase the debt ceiling by $5 trillion, the largest debt increase in the U.S.

"We have never raised the debt ceiling without actually meeting that target," he said. "So you can say it doesn't directly add to the debt, but if you increase the ceiling $5 trillion, you'll meet that. And what it does is it puts it off the back-burner. And then we won't discuss it for a year or two."

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"So I think it's a terrible idea to do this," he added. 

Paul said he spoke with Trump about his concerns over the legislation during a "lengthy discussion," but that Trump "did most of the talking." 

"I've told him I can't support the bill if they're together," Paul said. "If they were to separate out and take the, debt ceiling off that I very much could consider the rest of the bill."

Paul noted that Congress voted to continue spending to avert a government shutdown. 

"During the campaign, Republicans said they were against Bidennomics and Bidenflation and Biden spending. When March, we renewed the Biden's spending levels," Paul said. "So the spending levels we live under now are Biden-GOP spending levels. They've all come into agreement."

"But come the end of September, when our fiscal year ends, the deficit is going to be $2.2 trillion. That's just not conservative," he added. "They're borrowing 5 trillion. That means they're anticipating the following year being over 2 trillion as well. So it's just not a conservative thing to do."

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Over the weekend, Trump warned Paul would be "playing right into the hands of the Democrats" if he votes against the bill.

"If Senator Rand Paul votes against our Great, Big, Beautiful Bill, he is voting for, along with the Radical Left Democrats, a 68% Tax Increase and, perhaps even more importantly, a first time ever default on U.S. Debt," he wrote on his Truth Social platform. 

"Rand will be playing right into the hands of the Democrats, and the GREAT people of Kentucky will never forgive him! The GROWTH we are experiencing, plus some cost-cutting later on, will solve ALL problems. America will be greater than ever before!" he added. 

Next week, Senate Republicans will get their turn to go through the bill and are eying changes that could be a hard sell for House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.