Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul recalled Tuesday the first time he met President Donald Trump during his speech for the Republican National Convention, telling a story about Trump’s contributions to charity before he became president.
In Paul’s RNC speech, he said the first time he met Trump he offered to help Paul with several medical trips. Paul was a doctor at the time. Paul said the two trips were to Guatemala and Haiti to perform charity eye surgeries on those in need. The Kentucky Republican also said that although Trump and him do not agree on everything, there is way more on which they agree than disagree.
“Donald Trump and I met many years ago, before he was running for anything. When I first met him, I recall being struck by how down to earth he was. He seemed like just a normal guy. OK, a normal guy with his own plane and helicopter. I was planning a medical mission to Guatemala to perform charity eye surgeries. We needed money to fund the trip. Donald Trump offered to help, and immediately came through for us and for those kids,” Paul said.
“Not only did he support my medical mission to Guatemala but he also contributed to another mission trip to Haiti a year later. We performed hundreds of surgeries in both countries. Nothing is more beautiful to me in this world than removing the bandages from a person’s eyes, and watching them as they see their loved ones again. Donald Trump helped me make that happen,” Paul continued.
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“A few years later, we were opponents, both running for president. We all know how that turned out. I’m proud of the job Donald Trump has done as president. I don’t always agree with him, but our occasional policy differences are far outweighed by our significant agreements,” Paul added. (RELATED: Rand Paul’s Wife Details Their Neighbor’s ‘Terrifying’ Attack)
Paul also went on to criticize 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, saying he will take the U.S. to war. Paul praised Trump for wanting to “end war rather than start one” and his refusal to “leave our blood and treasure in Middle East quagmires.”
“Joe Biden voted for the Iraq War, which President Trump has long called the worst geopolitical mistake of our generation. I fear Biden will choose war again. He supported war in Serbia, Syria and Libya,” Paul said. (RELATED: Rand Paul Volunteers At Local Hospital To Fight Coronavirus)
“Joe Biden will continue to spill our blood and treasure. President Trump will bring our heroes home. If you hate war like I hate war…if you want us to quit sending $50 billion to Afghanistan for luxury hotels and natural gas to stations…you need to support President Trump for another term! So to our soldiers and their families – join me in supporting President Trump,” he continued.
Paul has continued to advocate against war or unnecessary military action by the U.S.