Rand Paul on Saudi arms deal: Their concern is to promote radical Islam

On the first stop of his nine-day trip overseas, President Trump signed a $110 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia to better equip the country as it combats terrorism. During an appearance on the FOX Business Network Wednesday, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said he is skeptical about what the Saudis will actually do with the weapons.

“This isn’t like trying to convince someone to buy apples from the United States or to buy tobacco from the United States – this is something intimately involved with our national security and we shouldn’t sell weapons to countries who I think may well do more harm than good with those weapons,” Sen. Paul said.

The senator opposed a similar deal that sent $1.15 billion worth of military equipment to the Arab nation in September of 2016 during the Obama administration, and will now look to enact a measure to halt some of the sale of the $110 billion arms deal signed by President Trump.

“Their concern is to promote their radical form of Islam, Wahhabism,” said Paul. “That is really a virus that has sort of spread throughout the world. It teaches hatred of America and intolerance, and I just don’t think that’s something in our best interest to support them.”

President Trump also unveiled his budget plan while away from the White House, which has garnered a lot of heat from both sides of the aisle as notions spread about the bill being dead upon arrival.

As for its chances of making it through Capitol Hill, Sen. Paul believes everybody will end up getting what they want, but it will take a toll on the nation.

“My prediction is everybody gets everything they want, except for those of us that are concerned about the debt and there will be much expansion of the debt under whatever comes out of Congress.”