Rand Paul says he ‘will support’ paying federal employees but not ending shutdown: Full interview

In an exclusive interview with Meet the Press, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) – the lone GOP holdout on the government funding bills – says he would support standalone legislation to pay federal employees and troops missing paychecks but won’t vote to reopen the government without addressing U.S. spending levels.

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SearchSearchFacebookTwitterEmailSMSBlue SkyWhatsappPrintRedditFlipboardPinterestLinkedinLatest StoriesMeet the PressU.S. NewsPoliticsWorldSportsBusinessShoppingTiplineHealthCultureScienceRand Paul says he ‘will support’ paying federal employees but not ending shutdown: Full interviewOct. 19, 202510:02Zelenskyy says Trump must apply ‘more pressure’ on Putin than Hamas: Full interview22:17Now PlayingRand Paul says he ‘will support’ paying federal employees but not ending shutdown: Full interview10:02UP NEXTTim Kaine slams GOP’s ‘empty offer’ to trade health care vote for ending shutdown: Full interview09:55Trump is doing well in the Middle East but is ‘weak’ on Russia & Ukraine, says GOP lawmaker09:18Congress should be exploring 'any and all options' to end shutdown, says GOP lawmaker08:42Lindsey Graham says shutdown won’t push him to meet Democrats’ health care demands: Full interview11:40Mark Kelly calls for a ‘real negotiation’ with Republicans amid shutdown: Full interview09:02JD Vance says ‘I do’ see Israel-Hamas peace deal as end to Gaza war: Full interview13:22Father of U.S. hostage describes ‘mixed bag of emotions’ amid Gaza peace deal21:52Shutdown is a ‘funding fight,’ not ‘a health care fight,’ House Republican says08:47'We should be in Washington negotiating’: Democrat calls on Speaker Johnson to bring House back08:15Relative of hostage still in Gaza says brother-in-law is a ‘man of peace’ who ‘deserves to be free’11:57Oregon AG: Trump shouldn't deploy troops to cities unless under 'extreme circumstances'02:44Adam Schiff says Trump using the DOJ ‘to go after his political enemies’: Full interview08:18Hakeem Jeffries urges bipartisan talks to end shutdown but calls Trump ‘unhinged’: Full interview07:40Marco Rubio calls on Hamas to release hostages ‘as soon as possible’ amid peace deal: Full interview08:39Speaker Johnson says Democrats are ‘not serious’ about negotiating end to shutdown: Full interview09:54Andrew Cuomo says Schumer, Jeffries ‘doing the right thing’ amid shutdown: Full interview19:09‘It’s going to take’ Trump, GOP leadership to ‘come to us’ to end shutdown: Sen. Patty Murray15:58Health care negotiations ‘should go on while the government is open,' House Republican says09:27Meet the PressRand Paul says he ‘will support’ paying federal employees but not ending shutdown: Full interview10:02CopiedIn an exclusive interview with Meet the Press, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) – the lone GOP holdout on the government funding bills – says he would support standalone legislation to pay federal employees and troops missing paychecks but won’t vote to reopen the government without addressing U.S. spending levels.Oct. 19, 2025