President Donald Trump has invited Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul and his family to the White House picnic, following Paul’s claim that they were initially “uninvited.” The senator, known for his fiscal conservative stance, has opposed Trump’s tax and domestic policy bill, citing concerns about its impact on the budget deficit, with an estimated addition of $2.4 trillion over the next decade by the Congressional Budget Office. Additionally, Paul, as the Senate Homeland Security Committee chair, proposed reducing funding for border security in the bill, a significant issue from Trump’s 2024 campaign platform.

On June 11, Paul criticized Trump for not inviting him to the White House picnic, calling it “incredibly petty” and expressing disappointment in the president’s actions. However, Trump clarified in a Truth Social post on June 12 that Paul and his family were indeed invited, praising the senator’s tough stance in the Senate and emphasizing the importance of securing his vote for the legislation.

The bill, which has passed the House, includes substantial funding for Trump’s immigration agenda. As the bill moves to the Senate, where modifications are being proposed, Senate Majority Leader John Thune faces a tight margin for approval, with only a few Republican dissenting votes allowed assuming all Democrats oppose the bill. Paul, known for occasionally breaking from his party, has previously aligned with Democrats on certain issues, such as voting against a temporary spending bill in March. Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, who also voted against the tax bill, claimed that his tickets for the White House event were “withheld,” though Trump has not publicly addressed this issue.