Despite His Threat, Biden ‘Will Negotiate’ on Debt Ceiling, Sen. Rand Paul Says

The White House has said that President Joe Biden wouldn’t negotiate over conditions for raising the national debt ceiling, but “I have news for him,” Sen. Rand Paul said, “He absolutely will negotiate.”

Paul, R-Ky., joined five other Republican senators at a press conference at the Capitol on Wednesday to address America’s debt ceiling and the need for fiscal restraint in Congress.

The Republican “majority in the House will not vote to raise the debt ceiling without significant budget reform,” Paul said. “The greatest threat to our country, and the greatest threat to our national security, is the debt.”

America reached its debt limit of $31.4 trillion on Jan. 19. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says special measures are being taken to prevent defaulting on the debt, but lawmakers need to reach an agreement by early June.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters last week that raising the debt ceiling is “something that should be done without conditions,” and she added that the White House is “not going to be negotiating over the debt ceiling.”

Paul said Congress has an opportunity right now to take significant steps toward balancing the budget, explaining that “it would take compromise between both parties.”

“Republicans would have to give up the sacred [cow] that says we will never touch a dollar in military [spending], and the Democrats would have to give up the sacred cow [that] they will never touch a dollar in welfare.”

The best way to balance the budget, according to Paul, is to “make the cuts across the board,” because it’s “a responsible thing to do. But President Biden needs to know that absolutely, he will negotiate, and it’s better to start now.”

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