President Donald Trump set the record straight on Thursday by saying “of course” Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was invited to the Congressional Picnic at the White House Thursday night.
Rand claimed he and his family were “uninvited” from the annual event.
The IJR previously reported on Paul’s account of the situation.
“I’ve just been told that I’ve been uninvited from the picnic; I think I’m the first senator in the history of the United States to be uninvited to the White House picnic,” Paul said Wednesday. “The White House is owned by the taxpayers, we are all members of it, every Democrat will be invited, every Republican will be invited, but I will be the only one disallowed to come on the grounds of the White House.”
“I just find this incredibly petty,” he continued. “I have been, I think nothing but polite to the president. I have been an intellectual opponent, a public policy opponent, and he’s chosen now to uninvite me from the picnic and to say my grandson can’t come to the picnic.”
But Trump took to social media to explain that was not the case. Trump needs Paul to side with him on his tax cut and spending package.
“He’s the toughest vote in the history of the U.S. Senate, but why wouldn’t he be? Besides, it gives me more time to get his Vote on the Great, Big, Beautiful Bill, one of the greatest and most important pieces of legislation ever put before our Senators & Congressmen/women,” Trump wrote on X.
Another lawmaker, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) came forward on X Thursday morning, saying no picnic tickets were set aside for him.
“Incredibly petty & shortsighted of Trump’s staff to exclude Republicans from the annual White House picnic while inviting Pelosi and every Democrat. I always give my few tickets to my staff and their kids, but apparently this year my tickets have been withheld as well. Low class,” Massie wrote.
The status of Massie’s invitation was not clear late Thursday morning.
The White House has held this event to include both Republicans and Democrats for a social evening.
Both Massie and Paul have criticized the bill’s impact on the deficit.
