Has Anyone Fought Harder to End Foreign Aid Than Rand Paul?
No senator has offered more legislation to stop American dollars from being sent overseas. #45
“America First” means a number of things, but primary among them is to stop sending U.S. taxpayer dollars to other countries.
At $37 trillion in debt, America does not have the money. In fact, the U.S. borrows from China to send money overseas. The U.S. also has enough problems to home that its tax dollars could go toward.
Congress doesn’t care. Both parties overwhelmingly continue to support foreign aid.
During his time in Congress, going back at least 15 years and then some, Rand Paul has offered at least 35 legislative measures to block American dollars from going to other countries.
As a matter of fact, Paul has done more to end foreign aid than any other senator.
It’s not even close.
The List
Here’s the list of Sen. Paul’s many efforts to stop foreign aid as simplified as I can make it. In chronological order.
In 2013, Paul sought to stop sending American weapons to Egypt. He did this twice that year. He did it again in 2022.
In 2013, the senator wanted to use U.S. taxpayer dollars on infrastructure at home instead of sending overseas.
In 2015 he tried to block U.S. foreign aid to the Palestinian Authority.
In 2016, Paul attempted to stop aid from going to nations that committed human rights violations.
In 2016, Paul sought to end sending U.S. military jets to Pakistan.
In 2016, Paul wanted to stop giving U.S. tanks and other weapons to Saudi Arabia. He did this again in 2017. And again in 2021.
In 2017, the senator wanted to halt the State Department from sending money abroad for “peacekeeping.”
In 2017, Paul wanted to repeal the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force and NDAA. He did this again in 2023.
In 2018, the senator wanted to reduce foreign aid to Israel, Palestine and Egypt.
In 2018, Paul tried to block sending U.S. weapons to Bahrain. He did this again in 2019.
In 2018, Paul introduced an amendment that would ensure “No funding for Afghan Security Forces until SIGAR verifies there are no child soldiers or sex slaves being utilized by a unit.”
In 2019, Paul sought to stop sending U.S. weapons to Qatar.
In 2019, Paul wanted to “To rescind $4,586,000,000 from foreign assistance and exchange programs.”
In 2020, Paul sought to rescind “all amounts made of several international programs under the Department of States and USAID.”
In 2020, the senator wanted to bring American troops from Afghanistan and instead use that money to help with the COVID pandemic. He did this twice.
In 2021, Paul thought it might be a good idea to build roads in America instead of in other countries.
In 2022, he wanted to “Prohibit foreign assistance for holding classes for artists/performers, staging theatrical plays, hosting book clubs” ( what in the hell is this to begin with?)
In 2022, Paul trued to block aid to Taiwan.
In 2022, he tried to block foreign aid for at least a decade.
In 2023, the senator wanted to not send aid to corrupt foreign governments.
In 2023, Paul offered an amendment to stop sending aid to countries that violate religious freedom.
In 2023, Paul tried to remove U.S. forces from Niger.
In 2023, Paul tried to remove U.S. forces from Syria.
In 2023, he asked for audit of the billions the U.S. was sending to Ukraine.
In 2024, Paul wanted to stop foreign aid to Palestine’s government.
In 2024, the senator tried to halt sending F-16 jets to Turkey.
In 2024, Paul offered legislation to “Cancel the Biden Administration’s forgiveness of $4.65 billion of debt Ukraine owes to the United States.”
In 2025, the senator wanted to stop $16 billion in funding of USAID.
That’s A LOT.
This data is also not really hard to find.
BOTH parties are guilty of this. Republicans are often just as eager to send American taxpayer dollars to other countries as Democrats are.
Sen. Paul’s wife, Kelley, shared an example of this bipartisan fiscal recklessness in a private exchange with she and her husband in March:
When Paul won his senate campaign in 2010, he entered Congress calling out President Barack Obama and his party’s foreign aid spending.
Why does the United States continue to spend itself into oblivion, toward its own destruction?
Good question.
Thankfully, Rand Paul keeps asking it.
Thank you very much Senator Paul for your dedication and your continuing struggle. The rest of the Republicans are cowards who are helping our country drive off a fiscal cliff. May God bless you.
Senator Paul, you are one of the few Senators we can trust.
Thank You for staying honest and true.