Rand Paul: Trump Getting Bad Advice Because of People Around Him Who ‘Think the Iraq War Was Just Great’

Senator Rand Paul has been one of the more critical Republicans on the Trump administration’s approach to Iran, but emphasized today this is an issue he has with the people around President Donald Trump and not POTUS himself.

He told CHuck Todd that he doesn’t “distrust” Trump and thinks he’s showed “remarkable restraint” on Iran, but still differs with him on war powers, saying, “I’m willing to stand up even against a president of my party, because we need to stand up and take back the power. We also need to debate whether or not we’re going to keep sending kids forever to Afghanistan and Iraq.”

Paul said the briefers last week were “dismissive of Congress” and didn’t care about their concerns. He called it “arrogant” for them to invoke the 2002 AUMF to justify not going to Congress on this.

Todd noted how clearly he and Trump agree plenty on these issues, “but his advisers are in a different place.”

Paul pointed to how Trump’s own appointees disagree with him on the Iraq War being a mistake, saying, “He keeps appointing people to represent him that think the Iraq War was just great. They loved Dick Cheney’s position and they still don’t admit it was a mistake. So that’s why he keeps getting policy that isn’t his policy.”

He went on to say Trump’s “instincts are pure” and that he clearly wants to end endless wars in the Middle East.

You can watch above, via NBC.