Trump Clears the Air on Rand Paul ‘Disinvite’ Drama at White House Picnic
President Donald Trump has addressed the controversy surrounding reports that Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) was uninvited from the annual White House Congressional Picnic, calling the story inaccurate and confirming that Paul was invited all along.
Earlier this week, both Senator Paul and Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) claimed they had been uninvited due to their opposition to Trump’s proposed tax cuts and spending reforms.
Paul, who had planned to attend with his family, expressed frustration over the alleged snub.
However, Trump quickly set the record straight on Truth Social, saying, “Of course Senator Rand Paul and his beautiful wife were invited.
Why wouldn’t they be? Besides, I need more time to get his vote for our Great, Big, Beautiful Bill.”
Trump emphasized that Paul’s presence was welcome, especially as negotiations continue on his signature tax and spending proposal, which he called “one of the greatest pieces of legislation ever put before Congress.”
Representative Massie, another vocal critic of the bill, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he too had been excluded from the picnic, calling it “incredibly petty and shortsighted” by Trump’s staff.
He also expressed frustration that while Republicans like himself were supposedly sidelined, prominent Democrats like Nancy Pelosi were invited.
The Congressional Picnic, hosted by President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump on the White House South Lawn, remains a longstanding bipartisan tradition, bringing together lawmakers and their families for a summer evening of socializing.
The controversy comes amid heated debate over Trump’s proposed tax cuts and spending reductions.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the bill could increase the federal deficit by around $2.4 trillion over the next decade.
Still, Trump’s team argues that increased economic activity will make up the difference.
Senator Paul, when speaking with reporters, said he wasn’t sure if the alleged disinvite came from Trump himself or lower-level staff, but suggested that some in the administration had been actively working to discredit him online.
Meanwhile, Trump also revealed this week that he’s open to patching things up with Elon Musk after their recent disagreements over the bill, signaling his willingness to rebuild alliances even with critics.
Despite the drama, Trump remains focused on pushing his economic agenda through Congress, making clear that disagreements won’t get in the way of tradition—or getting votes.
