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Rand Takes His Stand

The libertarian Kentucky senator Rand Paul is one of few Republicans to openly oppose Trump on tariffs and separation of powers. Is anyone listening?

Rand Paul
Rand Paul has been one of the few Republicans in the House or Senate to publicly criticize Trump. Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images
Leigh Ann Caldwell
March 6, 2025

While the rest of the party had dutifully marched behind the president in tariff-imposing, government-cutting solidarity, Rand Paul has been one of the few Republicans in the House or Senate to publicly criticize Trump.  Paul, of course, is a contrarian by nature. He’s also a consistent free-market libertarian who insists that other members of the G.O.P. privately agree with him and “whisper under their breath [that] free trade is good.”