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Rand PaulRandal (Rand) Howard PaulPentagon: War in Afghanistan will cost billion in 2018 Overnight Finance: Senators near two-year budget deal | Trump would 'love to see a shutdown' over immigration | Dow closes nearly 600 points higher after volatile day | Trade deficit at highest level since 2008 | Pawlenty leaving Wall Street group Rand Paul calls for punishment if Congress can't reach a long-term budget deal MORE seems to revel in frustrating fellow members of the Senate and that makes his blatant disregard for the chambers chummy protocols even more infuriating to them.

Paul, the junior senator from Kentucky, appeared to thumb his nose at fellow Republicans Thursdaynight when he posed for a picture with conservative Reps. Justin AmashJustin AmashOvernight Defense: House votes to renew surveillance program | More drones, troops headed to Afghanistan | Former officers urge lawmakers to curb Trump's nuclear powers Overnight Tech: House votes to reauthorize surveillance powers | Twitter on defensive after Project Veritas video | Senate panel to hold hearing on bitcoin Overnight Cybersecurity: House votes to renew NSA spying | Trump tweets spark confusion | Signs Russian hackers are targeting Olympics | Bannon expected to appear before House Intel panel MORE (R-Mich.) and Thomas MassieThomas Harold MassieHouse Republicans' bill would redirect Pakistan aid money to US infrastructure House stays in DC despite threats from GOP leaders Live coverage: Federal government on brink of shutdown MORE (R-Ky.) just off the Senate floor.

They posed with their arms folded, grinning for the camera in the midst of a government shutdown fight that Paul himself had triggered.

The snapshot was especially galling to Republicans because the trio posed in front of the Senate portrait of Henry Clay, the 19th century Kentucky senator known as the "Great Compromiser. Clay is the historical hero of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellDems confront Kelly after he calls some immigrants 'lazy' McConnell: 'Whoever gets to 60 wins' on immigration Overnight Defense: Latest on spending fight - House passes stopgap with defense money while Senate nears two-year budget deal | Pentagon planning military parade for Trump | Afghan war will cost B in 2018 MORE (R-Ky.), who negotiated the budget deal that Paul was trashing.

[Paul is] the perennial annoying gadfly with no positivity associating with it. What he did didnt change the outcome. Hes all about grandstanding, said a Senate Republican aide.

Taking selfies with Justin Amash and Thomas Massie he just is the perennial annoyance, the aide added. Hes here to go on television and thats what he kept doing. Its about self promotion.

Al Cross, a journalism professor at the University of Kentucky and a longtime commentator on Kentucky politics, said Pauls actions likely dont sitwell with the GOP leader, even if he doesnt say anything about it publicly.

Theres no doubt that it gets his nose out of joint, but hes dealt with Rand Paul for a long time and hes pretty accustomed to it, Cross said of McConnell.

But Paul doesnt care if hes making his colleagues uncomfortable.

He says he wouldnt have delayed the budget deal if GOP leaders had merely allowed him a vote on restoring the spending caps that the deal was setting aside.

Leaders said if they allowed Paul a vote other senators would then demand votes on their own amendments, delaying the bill even longer.

Still, many Republicans didn't want to vote against reimposing spending caps that they had declared a major victory only a few short years ago, when they fought with the Obama administration over spending cuts.

You could feel the frustration and embarrassment growing in Congress as we exposed the hypocrisy of Republicans who are joining in an unholy alliance and spending free-for-all with Democrats, Paul tweetedThursdaynight.

Members of the Senate are accustomed to the opposing party forcing them to take tough votes, rather than a member of their own conference.

Senate Republican Whip John CornynJohn CornynDems confront Kelly after he calls some immigrants 'lazy' McConnell: 'Whoever gets to 60 wins' on immigration GOP senators turning Trump immigration framework into legislation MORE (R-Texas) fumed that Pauls tactics were grossly irresponsible and bad behavior that he didnt want to reward by making any concessions.

Senate Republican Conference Chairman John ThuneJohn Randolph ThuneOvernight Tech: Uber exec says 'no justification' for covering up hack | Apple considers battery rebates | Regulators talk bitcoin | SpaceX launches world's most powerful rocket Apple tells senator it may give rebates to consumers who bought iPhone batteries Republican agenda clouded by division MORE (S.D.) called it a colossal waste of everyones time.

Sen. Ron JohnsonRonald (Ron) Harold Johnson40 patient advocacy groups oppose 'right to try' drug bill GOP eyes changes to 'right to try' bill Hundreds sign on to letter opposing 'right to try' drug bill MORE (R-Wis.) called the whole episode another example of the Senates dysfunction, labeling it ridiculous.

But Paul gets energy from riling up his colleagues on points of principle and refused to back down, even though it was clear that the budget deal had the votes to pass.

Theyre mad that they have to do their jobs, said Brian Darling, a GOP strategist and former Paul aide.

Darling said his former boss doesnt care about upsetting his fellow senators.

He cares more about doing the right thing, not going along to get along. Members were really angry with him but he has the right to do what he did.

Congress waits until the last minute to do their appropriations bill and then challenges a single member to object. Theyre doing this on purpose to bully members to get bad bills passed, he said.

Paul doubled downFridaywith an op-ed that called his colleagues hypocrites.

We now control the House, Senate and White House, and we should stand for less government and less spending, he wrote in Time. Instead, we see a massive increase that would make President Obama cringe.

Paul said he expected a lot of tired staffers would try to feed media stories about how I wouldnt play nice with them and let them get their massive spending bill in secret.

He said didnt regret how things played out.

People tuned in to TV, followed on social media, and had the debate trending number one all night, he noted.

Thursdaywas only the latest example of Paul sticking his finger in the eye of Republicans leadership.

He was a thorn in the side of leaders during last years health-care debate, when he declared on television the GOP plan to repeal and replace the 2010 Affordable Care Act was ObamaCare-lite and a bailout" for insurance companies.

At one point, he accused Speaker Paul RyanPaul Davis RyanMcConnell: 'Whoever gets to 60 wins' on immigration Overnight Defense: Latest on spending fight - House passes stopgap with defense money while Senate nears two-year budget deal | Pentagon planning military parade for Trump | Afghan war will cost B in 2018 House passes stopgap spending measure with defense money MORE (R-Wis.) of selling a bill of goods to President TrumpDonald John TrumpTillerson: Russia already looking to interfere in 2018 midterms Dems pick up deep-red legislative seat in Missouri Speier on Trump's desire for military parade: 'We have a Napoleon in the making' MORE in the health-care debate.

Paul was later one of a handful of Senate Republicans to vote against the ObamaCare repeal and replace plan that passed the House, and that McConnell had spent weeks negotiating with his conference.

In December, Paul panned the short-term spending proposal that GOP leaders advanced to keep the government open as reckless deficit spending.

For Paul, playing the role of maverick is good politics.

A Mason-Dixon poll of registered voters in Kentucky in December showed that he has a substantial better job rating than McConnell, the ultimate Republican team player.

The survey showed Paul with a 44 percent job approval rating, while only 30 percent approved of McConnells performance.

Pauls one-man revolt on the budget deal was also a hit with conservatives.

A senator has an ability to be a voice and not just a vote, said Daniel Horowitz, senior editor of Conservative Review. Hes able to give to the forgotten man the average American taxpayer.

When the political class of both parties get together and decide theyre going to get a specific outcome theres no way to thwart that outcome in the short run. But the only thing worse than screwing taxpayers is screwing them and having no one find out about it, he added.

Senators thoughtThursdaywould be a routine day after McConnell and Senate Democratic Leader Charles SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerGOP lawmaker: Dems not standing for Trump is 'un-American' Trump called for unity he didnt even last a week Overnight Defense: GOP plays hardball by attaching defense funding to CR | US reportedly drawing down in Iraq | Russia, US meet arms treaty deadline | Why the military wants 6B from Congress MORE (N.Y.) announced they had reached a two-year budget deal that gained swift support from Ryan in the House.

They needed consent from everyone in the chamber to speed up the procedural clock and vote in the morning and afternoon in time to catch flights back home for an early weekend.

But Paul surprised them all by digging in his heels and delaying a vote until1:30 a.m.after McConnell refused to give in to his demand for a separate vote on budget caps.

The frustration with Paul spread to the other side of the Capitol, where members of the House had to stay on call until5 a.m.Fridaymorning to receive the bill and pass it, something they expected to happen hours earlier.

One frustrated Republican lawmaker, Rep. Charlie DentCharles (Charlie) Wieder DentSupreme Court denies GOP request to block Pennsylvania gerrymandering decision Dent likens GOP to a dysfunctional family on tackling difficult issues GOP lawmaker: Trump should have hit Russia harder in speech MORE (Pa.), quipped he could sympathize with Rene Boucher, Pauls neighbor in Bowling Green, Ky., who allegedly tackled the senator over a landscaping dispute.

When Rand Paul pulls a stunt like this, its easy to understand why its difficult to be Rand Pauls next-door neighbor, Dent told Politico.

Pauls office didnt find that remark at all humorous. The assault gave Paul broken ribs.

That comment is disgusting and Charlie Dent should apologize. Senator Rand Paul will always stand up for what is right, regardless of which party is in control, said Pauls spokesman Sergio Gor.

He successfully brought much-needed attention to the hypocrisy in the halls of Congress when it comes to out-of-control spending, he added.

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Rand Paul revels in role of Senate troublemaker | TheHill

The Taliban is extending an invitation to Sen. Rand Paul,Kentucky Republican,to their political office in Doha, to discuss possible peace plans to end the 17-year Afghan war.

The invitation, proposed on the terror groups social media accounts under the moniker of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, was extended in response to Mr. Pauls recent comments on the status of the war.

We invite the respectable U.S. Senator Rand Paul, in his official capacity to visit our political office in Doha for mutual talks, the Twitter post by the Information Committee of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan read.

Well prove to Mr. Rand Paul, the immediate US withdrawal from [Afghanistan] will bring peace to our country & will enhance international security, the group added in the social media post.

During an interview with Fox News on Thursday, Sen. Paul lambasted Washingtons continued investment in the Afghan conflict, with no clear endgame in sight. The war in Afghanistan is costing us $50 billion a year Its time to come home. There is no military victory there, Mr. Paul said.

Mr. Paul is one of several lawmakers who have voiced opposition to the war in Afghanistan, as the White House looks to implement a more aggressive military strategy in the country.

President Trump expressed overt support for negotiations with the Taliban, and its potential political role in a postwar Afghanistan, during a primetime address to the nation unveiling his new strategy for the region in August. But Mr. Trump walked back support for talks last month after a series of deadly attacks in the Afghan capital of Kabul.

I dont think were prepared to talk right now. Its a whole different fight over there. Theyre killing people left and right. Innocent people are being killed left and right, Mr. Trump told reporters at the White House at the time.

Nearly 14,000 American forces are on the ground in Afghanistan as part of the White House surge of an additional 3,900 troops into the country a key element of the administrations new war plan.

The Trump White House also expanded commanders authority to conduct combat operations against the Taliban or other extremists in the country, as well as abandoning the Obama-era withdrawal deadlines for a conditions-based approach.

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Rand Paul invited to peace talks by Taliban - Washington Times

Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul is slamming members of his party for being "hypocritical" for passing both tax cuts and spending increases. Paul's comments on CBS News' "Face the Nation" come just days after President Trump signed a $400 billion budget deal, ending a brief federal government shutdown on Friday that came after Paul held up a key vote in the Senate.

"I think if you're for tax cuts and for increasing spending that's hypocritical. But if you're for tax cuts and you're also for cutting spending a corresponding amount -- see, I would offset the tax cuts with spending cuts, and there are a few of us that would actually do that," said Paul on Sunday.

Paul voted for the tax cut package last year that experts said would add $1.5 trillion to the deficit over the next 10 years.

"I voted for the tax cuts and I voted for spending cuts. The people who voted for tax cuts and spending increases -- I think there is some hypocrisy there and it shows they're not serious about the debt," he added.

Paul, who was instrumental in derailing Senate leaders' plan to drive the budget agreement quickly through the Senate by repeatedly blocking a Thursday vote, says he thinks lawmakers should "draw attention to the fact that we're spending so much money."

"I'm still against deficit spending just because Republicans are doing it doesn't make it any better."

The budget agreement reached between Republicans and Democrats is married to a six-week temporary funding bill needed to keep the government operating and provide time to implement the budget pact. Paul held up the vote late Thursday for as long as he was able to under Senate rules.

Once Paul's time was up, the measure, backed by the Senate's top leaders, sailed through the chamber by a 71-28 vote. The House approved the legislation with a 240-186 vote hours after the Senate OK'd the deal.

Paul told CBS News' Major Garrett on Sunday that he's "very worried" about military spending increases. The budget deal raises the spending caps on defense and domestic spending by $300 billion over the next two years.

"I think one of the questions the Republicans, I think, are not willing to ask themselves is, can you be fiscally conservative and be for unlimited military spending?" said Paul.

The president hailed the boost in military spending on Friday, tweeting, "Our Military will now be stronger than ever before. We love and need our Military and gave them everything and more."

But Paul said Republicans are "unwilling to confront that they want more, more, more for military spending and so to get that they have to give the Democrats what they want, which is more and more and more for domestic spending. "

The senator said while some welcomed the bipartisan agreement reached between the two parties, he said it's "exploding the deficit."

"I'm not so sure that's the kind of bipartisanship we need," he added.

Paul also took issue with the military's mission abroad, saying it's "beyond what we need to be."

"We're actively in war in about seven countries, and yet the Congress hasn't voted on declaring or authorizing the use of military force in over 15 years now," Paul said.

He added, pointing to the war in Afghanistan, "We're spending 50 billion dollars a year. And if the president really is serious about infrastructure, a lot of that money could be spent at home. Instead of building bridges and schools and roads in Afghanistan or in Pakistan."

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Sen. Rand Paul criticizes GOP "hypocrisy" on debt ...

Sen. Rand Paul is holding up a vote on the Senate budget deal, demanding more debate on the bill which will add $1.5 trillion to the debt over the next 10 years. Lawmakers are facing a midnight deadline to pass the legislation. (Feb. 7) AP

Republican Senator from Kentucky Rand Paul (center) poses for a picture with Republican Representative from Kentucky Thomas Massie (right) and Republican Representative from Michigan Justin Amash (left) as budget negotiations continue in the U.S. Capitol(Photo: Jim Lo Scalzo, EPA-EFE)

WASHINGTON Sen. Rand Paul, a conservative Kentucky Republican and one-time presidential contender, temporarily blockeda Senate vote ona sweeping bipartisan budget deal on Thursday a move that could force Congress to miss a midnight funding deadline and triggera partial government shutdown.

The bipartisan budget deal would lift strict budget caps and pave the way for lawmakers to spend an extra $300 billion over the next two years on defense and domestic programs. It seemed poised to easily clear the Senate until Thursday afternoon.

Thats when Paul objected and said he would only allow the budget bill to advance if GOP leaders gave him a vote on an amendment to restore the budget caps, set in 2011 to rein in deficit spending.If Paul got an amendment, then every senator would want one. And ifany amendment passed, it would blow up the budget agreement.

All Senator Rand Paul is asking for is a 15-minute vote on his amendment to restore the budget caps, Pauls spokesman, Sergio Gor, said in an email Thursday. He is ready to proceed at any time.

By Thursday evening, the White House was preparing for alapse in appropriations. The federal Office of Management and Budget told federal agencies to plan for a "limited shutdown" of perhaps a few hours.

How could one senator potentially cause a government shutdown? Two reasons: the Senates arcane rules essentially invite such mischief-making;and congressional leaders waited until the very last minute to unveil their deal, leaving them vulnerable to legislative glitches.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., filed a motion to end debate on the budget deal late Wednesday night. Under Senate rules, lawmakers must wait an intervening day before they can vote to cut off debate, unless they get an agreement from all 100 senators to speed up the clock.

McConnell and Schumer figured theyd get that agreement. But they were wrong.

Pauls objection, if he sticks with it, wouldforceMcConnell to wait until 1 a.m. to vote to take up the budget bill and then another 30 hours fordebate before final passage. Federal funding for most government programs runs out at midnight.

"I can keep them here until threein the morning," Paul said on Fox News.

Paul said he wasn't pushing for a government shutdown. But he also wasn't interested in keeping the government open for a "reckless" spending deal that busts the budget caps.

"Nobody wants to have it pointed out what an eyesore this deal is and how obnoxious it is to conservatives," Paul told Fox.

Looking exasperated and irritated, McConnell begged his home-state colleague to stop his dilatory tactics and offered to let him make his point with a procedural vote.

"Funding for the government expires in just a few hours," McConnell noted. "I would argue that it's time to vote."

ButPaul rejected McConnell's offer and held the floor for what could be an hours-long speech. He noted that the bill is nearly 700 pages long, nobody in the Senate has read it, and it will add more than a trillion dollars to the deficit.

"I want peopleto feel uncomfortable" voting in favor of big deficits, Paul said.

If and when the budget bill does pass the Senate, it will go to the House where it faces an uncertain fate.

Liberal Democrats object to the deal because it does not include protections for undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and whose Obama-era deportation protections will expire next month. House conservative have the same objections as Paul, arguing that it will pave the way for big spending and ballooning deficits.

Read more:

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With shutdown looming, Senate poised to approve massive two-year budget deal, setting up fight in the House

As Paul Ryan turns to Democrats for votes, conservatives fume over budget deal

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Government shutdown: How Rand Paul could trigger it himself

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Feb. 8 opposed a bipartisan budget deal and delayed a vote on the measure in the Senate, calling the GOP "complicit in the deficits." (U.S. Senate)

The latest politico pointing out just how much the Republican Party has changed under President Trump comes from the inside.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) delayed a Senate vote past midnight Thursday to mark his opposition to an estimated $320 billion addition to the federal budget deficit something he called Republicans out for supporting: If you were against President Obama's deficits, and now you're for the Republican deficits, isn't that the very definition of hypocrisy?

Paul, known for his libertarian leanings, said the budget deal breaks past Republican pledges to rein in federal spending.

After GOP leaders refused to allow Paul to offer an amendment, he chose to use a Senate rule that allows individual senators to slow down proceedings that require the consent of all.

I cant in all good honesty, in all good faith, just look the other way because my party is now complicit in the deficits, he said on the Senate floor.

[The Daily 202: Rand Paul's short-lived shutdown is ending, but his warning about GOP deficit hypocrisy reverberates]

Paul ran against Trump in the 2016 presidential primary, drawing attention to the presidents multiple bankruptcies as proof of his lack of a commitmentto fiscal conservatism. When Trump pulled out of a January 2016 Fox News debate becausethe network declined his request to remove Megyn Kelly as moderator,Paul claimed that Trump might be backing away because the former Democrat isnt a conservative.

He told CNNs Alisyn Camerota: Maybe [he's] afraid of the fact that he's never voted in a Republican presidential primary. For 70 years, he's been a progressive Democrat. I was wondering if maybe he's going to show up for the Democrat primary debate next time.

I think he does want to avoid difficult questions. And I think he's used to getting his way, Paul added.

Paul has since been seen buddying up with Trump on the golf course. But his strongest words late into the night Thursday were for his fellow party members who attacked President Barack Obama for increased government spending but are now are rallying behind a similar idea just because it's championed by Republican lawmakers.

Paul said: I ran for office because I was very critical of President Obama's trillion-dollar deficits. Now we have Republicans hand in hand with Democrats offering us trillion-dollar deficits. I can't in all honesty look the other way.

Congress ended a five-hour government shutdown early Friday morning after the House supported a massive bipartisan budget deal that adds hundreds of billions of dollars in federal spending. The funds will go to the military, domestic programs and disaster relief.

Trump signed the bill into law Friday morning.

Under Trump, fiscally conservative lawmakers supported increased government spending.

Under Trump, the Republican National Committee backed a candidate in Alabama accused of sexual misconduct with teenage girls while in his 30s.

Under Trump, Christian conservatives have defended a thrice-married man against allegations that his lawyer paid a six-figure settlement to a porn actress who reportedly had an affair with the president not long after his wife gave birth to their son.

Under Trump, multiple veterans have backed a candidate with multiple draft deferments who as president has invoked the military while attacking other Americans who took a knee during the national anthem to protest racism and police violence.

Under Trump, Republicans who criticized the influence of high-spending donors in politics have gone silent as the billionaire president's private club hosts political fundraisers with tickets starting at $100,000.

Former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman told the New York Times that people like her who boarded the Trump train called themselves Trumpublicans due to his unorthodox and unconventional approach to politics that seemed to have no place in the Democratic Party or the GOP.

But more than a year after Trumps inauguration, it is clear that his politics have found a home in the GOP. The majority of Republicans continue to give him high approval ratings despite scandals dominating headlines nearly every week. They point to the decisions that reflect a relatively traditional Republican presidency as reasons for their high support.

But a sizable group of Never Trump Republicans remains vocal and critical of his presidency. And it is not clear where these conservatives can go, given that Trumpism is becoming more of the dominant worldview of the GOP.

Paul is likely to continue to draw attention to what he sees as hypocrisies in the Republican Party, but the likelihood of conservative lawmakers pivoting away to the traditional vision of conservatism is low. The truth is conservative voters had a chance to choose between Paul and Trumps visions for America during the GOP primaries. The GOP chose Trump.

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Rand Paul calls out hypocrisy of GOP in the Trump era - The ...