‘He’s Been Terrific!’ Trump Fawns Over His Old Foe Rand Paul — Despite Senator Being a Vocal Iran War Critic

Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul, R-Ky., left, shakes hands with President Donald Trump as he speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

President Donald Trump seems to have done a 180 on his one-time foe Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) — despite the senator, just days ago, voicing heavy criticism of the Iran war.

In a surprising Truth Social post, the president raved about Paul — seemingly claiming that the recent primary defeat of his fellow Kentuckian Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) has scared him straight.

“THE MASSIE MASSACRE in the Great Commonwealth of Kentucky has had a really great impact on Senator Rand Paul who will be running in two years,” Trump wrote. “He’s been terrific, lately!”

Just a year ago, Trump was in the midst of a full-on feud with the Kentucky senator — who attacked the president’s tariffs relentlessly, among many criticisms of the president’s actions. And Trump made his displeasure with Paul quite clear.

“Rand votes NO on everything, but never has any practical or constructive ideas,” Trump wrote in a June 2025 Truth post. “His ideas are actually crazy (losers!). The people of Kentucky can’t stand him.”

Trump also called Paul “disloyal” and insulted him numerous times in a variety of ways — including snubbing him on an invite to a White House luncheon at which every other Senate Republican was present.

Semafor recently reported that there’s been a thawing in the relationship between Trump and Paul. The outlet cited Paul’s efforts to get the recent immigration Senate bill passed as a key turning point.

But the two are still not quite in lockstep. Just six days ago, Paul offered up a scathing criticism of the president’s war in Iran.

“I think the Iran war has not been a success,” Paul told CNN’s Manu Raju. “I’ve been opposed to the Iran war from the beginning. I think, by any objective measure, we’re worse off than we were before the war.”

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