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Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) gleefully reposted a missive from President Donald Trump aimed directly at Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY).
Amid the ongoing government shutdown, Kennedy introduced two bills on Thursday that would bar members of Congress from collecting paychecks as long as the government remains closed. His legislation also would have banned backpay. After requesting unanimous consent, Paul and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) objected.
On Friday night, Trump lashed out at Paul in a post on Truth Social:
It was so interesting yesterday when our Great Senator from Louisiana, John Kennedy, introduced a Bill in an attempt to withhold Members of Congress from getting paid, and Rand Paul, who never votes for anything, tried to stop it, because he wanted to be paid! In other words, Rand wanted to pay the people who stopped Government from working! What’s going on with Rand?
Shortly afterward, Kennedy took to X, where he reposted a screenshot of Trump’s post and wrote:
Thank you, @POTUS!
If we can’t fund the government, we don’t deserve our paychecks.
That’s common sense to the American people, but unfortunately, common sense is illegal in Washington.
The government shut down on Oct. 1 after Senate Republicans and Democrats failed to agree on a bill to fund the government beyond Sept. 30. Although Republicans control the chamber 53-47, 60 votes are needed to advance most legislation. Democrats are seeking an extension of healthcare premium subsidies for beneficiaries under the Affordable Care Act, without which, they will expire on Dec. 31. Republicans have so far refused to budge.
Kennedy told reporters on Friday that the shutdown could last into 2026.
“I’m not kidding, you guys,” he was quoted as saying by Sahil Kapur of NBC News. “I mean, you see what I see. Okay? This shutdown is going to last a long time. What’s going to get us out of it?”
