With the U.S.national debt soaring above $40 trillion and the federal government engaging in massive deficit spending, Sen.
Rand Paul, R-Ky.— a fiscal hawk who says the situation is "out of control" and "both parties have failed us" — does not support President Donald Trump's proposal to dole out $5,000 to every American adult if Republicans win both chambers of Congress during the midterms.The president floated the idea during a speech earlier this month at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, calling it "the Trump dividend."Asked about the president's proposal during an interview on Thursday, Paul told Fox News Digital that he is not in favor of giving away "dividends when there's a deficit.""We're running $2 trillion dollars short," he said, noting that he "can't imagine giving out money when you're running a deficit."Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on Friday.RAND PAUL CLASHES WITH FELLOW REPUBLICAN OVER AI 'KILL SWITCH' AS SENATE GRAPPLES WITH 'TERMINATOR' FEARSSenate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Rand Paul, R-Ky., questions then-U.S.
Sen.Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., during his confirmation hearing to be the next Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on March 18, 2026 in Washington, D.C.
(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)America's soaring national debt has surpassed the staggering sum $40 trillion and shows no signs of stopping."And so, the debt is very important.So it's not just important that it might bankrupt us or overwhelm us in some kinda crisis in the future," Paul said, acknowledging that as "a possibility.
But every day you're being hurt by it because it's stealing the value" of people's earnings, he indicated."So it is literally out of control," Paul said."And really both parties have failed us because both parties are afraid to tell the American public that some things they like from government would have to b...