Sen. Rand Paul says he was 'uninvited' to White House picnic over breaks with Trump

President Donald Trump said on Thursday that "of course" Sen.

President Donald Trump said on Thursday that "of course" Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was invited to an annual White House picnic, one day after the senator said he had been barred from the event.

"Of course Senator Rand Paul and his beautiful wife and family are invited to the BIG White House Party tonight," Trump said on Truth Social Thursday morning.

Paul said on Wednesday that he was "uninvited" to an annual White House picnic typically attended by members of Congress and their families, framing the move to reporters Wednesday as retribution for his opposition to key components of President Donald Trump's agenda.

“They’re afraid of what I’m saying, so they think they’re going to punish me, I can’t go to the picnic, as if somehow that’s going to make me more conciliatory,” Paul said on Wednesday. “So it’s silly, in a way, but it’s also just really sad that this is what it’s come to. But petty vindictiveness like this, it makes you — it makes you wonder about the quality of people you’re dealing with.”

Trump said in Thursday's post that Paul's attendance would give "me more time to get his Vote on the Great, Big, Beautiful Bill, one of the greatest and most important pieces of legislation ever put before our Senators & Congressmen/women." Paul has been a leading critic of the Trump-backed bill because of its projected to increase the national deficit.