How decisions in Washington D.C. could affect Kentuckians

Senator Rand Paul speaks on DOGE, tariffs and Senator Mitch McConnell

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) — The Department of Government Efficiency is continuing its layoffs of federal employees. Government-paid workers received an email last week which received heavy backlash.

“Some of the people were squawking because they were asked to put down five things they did in the past week,” Senator Rand Paul said. “Most people in the private world have to justify their existence every week.”

From the Department of Veterans Affairs to the Kentucky Equal Justice Center, the downsizes are causing some Kentuckians to lose their jobs.

“It isn’t about one particular person who works in government, it’s about trying to have taxpayer dollars used wisely,” Paul said.

He added that taxpayer dollars have been sent to programs overseas, and Kentuckians deserve to know where their money is going.

“If you’re the government employee that made the decision to send $3 million to be queer in the Carribean, do you think maybe you should keep your job or be fired,” he said. “I think maybe you’ve got to be fired because what a terrible decision.”

The senator says we will have to see if these cuts end up going too far.

Meanwhile, Paul is speaking out against the new tariffs recently imposed on Canada, Mexico and China by the Trump Administration.

“Trade is good for us, and we need to get away from this notion that people are stealing from us because we have a trade deficit,” he said. “We’ve gotten rich over trade.”

Foreign leaders have started announcing retaliatory tariffs against the United States. Both Senator Paul and economists say this will increase prices for both businesses and consumers.

“Tariffs are not a good thing. If you tax trade, you’ll get less of it. Trade creates prosperity and is a good thing,” he said.

As President Trump begins his second term in office, Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell announced he’s on his way out. Several people already declaring their campaign for his position.

“I think the primary race will be on the Republican side. I’ve met all the candidates, and we’ll wait and see how they present themselves and see how things are doing, but for now, I have no plans to get involved,” Senator Paul said.

Senator McConnell is the longest-serving senate party leader in history.