Sen. Rand Paul made clear Sunday that Vice President JD Vance would not have his support if the Republican presidential field takes shape in 2028.
Pressed directly during an appearance on This Week about whether that stance applied to Vance, Paul gave an unambiguous reply. Asked by host Jonathan Karl, “And that’s not JD Vance?” Paul answered simply, “No.”
Paul’s remarks came as he reflected on what he sees as a shrinking commitment within the GOP to long-standing conservative economic principles. He said he intends to keep pushing for a free-market faction inside the party, even as others move in a different direction. “So I’m going to continue to try to lead a conservative free-market wing in the party, and we’ll see where things lead over time,” Paul said.
During the interview, Paul pointed to his ongoing disagreement with the Trump administration’s tariff and trade agenda as a central reason for his resistance to elevating Vance as a future standard-bearer. He argued that free trade, limited government, and low taxes have been pushed aside in recent years. “I think there needs to be representatives in the Republican Party who still believe international trade is good, who still believe in free market capitalism, who still believe in low taxes,” Paul said, responding to suggestions that Vance is widely viewed as a leading contender for the next election cycle.
The Kentucky senator also contrasted today’s policy debates with earlier ideological divides, saying fiscal restraint once defined conservative thinking. “It used to separate conservatives and liberals that conservatives thought it was a spending problem — we didn’t want less revenue, we wanted less spending,” Paul said.
He went on to criticize Republicans who now champion tariffs, arguing that such policies amount to tax increases that run counter to conservative doctrine. “But now all these pro-tariff protectionists, they love taxes. And so they tax, tax, tax, and then they brag about all the revenue coming in,” Paul continued. “That has never been a conservative position.”
While many Republicans still voice support for smaller government and lower taxes, Paul has been among the few willing to openly challenge the president on trade policy and oppose major legislation on fiscal grounds. He voted against the administration’s flagship domestic package, citing concerns that it would add to the national debt, and said those disagreements would shape his approach to the party’s future leadership.
{Matzav.com}
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese moved Monday to address mounting anger within the Jewish community, issuing a public apology following intense criticism over his handling of rising antisemitism in the country.
The apology came a day after Albanese was met with loud boos while attending a vigil commemorating the 15 people murdered in the Bondi Beach terrorist attack, carried out during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration. The hostile reaction reflected deep frustration among mourners who say the government failed to stem escalating antisemitic violence.
Speaking after the event, Albanese acknowledged the fury directed at him and said he understood why emotions boiled over. “Emotions were raw, and a lot of people in the community are hurting and angry, and some of that anger was directed towards me, and I understand that,” he said.
He went on to connect the tragedy directly to his leadership, stating, “As prime minister, I feel the weight of responsibility for an atrocity that happened while I’m prime minister.”
In a separate expression of regret, Albanese added, “And I’m sorry for what the Jewish community and our nation as a whole has experienced.”
The prime minister has been under heavy fire since last week’s massacre, with critics accusing his center-left government of allowing antisemitism to spiral since the outbreak of the war in Gaza. Jewish leaders and community figures have argued that repeated warnings were ignored.
In response to the attack, Albanese announced the launch of a formal review into Australia’s law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The inquiry will be led by a former head of the country’s national spy service and will examine whether federal police and intelligence bodies have the “right powers, structures, processes and sharing arrangements in place to keep Australians safe.”
Despite the announcement, Jewish leaders have pushed for a full royal commission — the strongest form of inquiry under Australian law — to probe the failures surrounding the attack.
Albanese rejected that approach, arguing that a targeted review would allow the government to act more quickly. “The … review will enable action to take place,” he said.
He emphasized that the goal was immediate accountability and reform, adding, “What we want to do is, if there are any holes, any findings, any actions that are required, we want that to occur.”
{Matzav.com}
Kerry Kennedy escalated her criticism of President Donald Trump, publicly calling for his name to be removed from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts once he leaves office. In posts shared on X and Instagram, Kennedy pledged dramatic action to reverse the decision.
“Three years and one month from today, I’m going to grab a pickax and pull those letters of that building,” she wrote.
She followed up with another post inviting supporters to join her effort, adding, “But I’m going to need help holding the ladder. Are you in? Apply for my carpenter’s card today, so it’ll be a union job!!!.”
The naming decision has drawn sharp criticism from several Democrats and members of the Kennedy family. Among those objecting was JFK’s niece Maria Shriver, along with multiple Democratic lawmakers, all of whom argue that placing Trump’s name on the building violates federal law.
“The Kennedy Center was named by law. To change the name would require a revision of that 1964 law,” Ray Smock, a former House historian, told the Associated Press. “The Kennedy Center board is not a lawmaking entity. Congress makes laws.”
Congress designated the performing arts complex as a living memorial to President Kennedy in 1964, a year after his assassination. The statute explicitly bars the board of trustees from transforming the center into a memorial for anyone else or placing another individual’s name on the exterior of the building.
Despite those objections, Trump’s name was added after the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees — reportedly selected by Trump — voted unanimously in favor of the change. Officials at the Kennedy Center said the vote was intended to acknowledge Trump’s efforts to revitalize the institution.
Kennedy expanded her attack a day earlier with a separate post on X sharply criticizing Trump and his administration. She wrote: “President Trump and his administration have spent the past year repressing free expression, targeting artists, journalists, and comedians, and erasing the history of Americans whose contributions made our nation better and more just.”
She contrasted that record with the legacy of her uncle, writing: “President Kennedy proudly stood for justice, peace, equality, dignity, diversity, and compassion for those who suffer. President Trump stands in opposition to these values, and his name should not be placed alongside President Kennedy’s.”
Kerry Kennedy is the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, who served as a U.S. senator and attorney general. Her brother, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., currently serves as Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Trump administration and has not commented publicly on the controversy surrounding the Kennedy Center’s name.
{Matzav.com}
