CNN's Jake Tapper grills Rand Paul on whether he really believes Trump is against corruption


Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is against foreign aid, U.S. troops in Afghanistan, and impeaching President Trump, he told CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday's State of the Union. His argument against impeachment was that the effort is "partisan" and baseless, because Trump asked Ukraine's president to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden as "a person" tied to corruption, not his leading 2020 presidential rival. Tapper wasn't buying it, and that made for some pretty good television.
Tapper rattled off a list of close Trump associates recently convicted of federal corruption-related crimes, including his 2016 campaign chairman and his former personal lawyer, then noted that Trump himself had to pay $25 million to resolve Trump university fraud charges and, just last week, another $2 million for raiding his charity for personal use. "You really think President Trump is concerned about rooting out corruption?" Tapper asked Paul — twice, the second time adding: "Just a yes or no. Is that something you really believe?" Paul eventually landed on yes, kind of.
"So just to be clear," Tapper pressed: "This precedent that you are prepared to set, you would be okay with a president, say, Elizabeth Warren asking a foreign government to investigate her top Republican rival as long as there was some sort of allegation about that Republican rival having some sort of connection to allegations of corruption?" Paul said that framing is "completely untrue," because "Trump didn't call up the president of Ukraine and say 'Investigate my rival' ... He says investigate a person." "He said investigate Joe Biden," Tapper said. "And Joe Biden is his rival. ... He didn't say investigate Burisma, or go investigate all the corrupt companies in your country."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Also:
That seems unfair to Jared Kushner.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Today's political cartoons - March 29, 2025
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - my way or Norway, running orders, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 tactically sound cartoons about the leaked Signal chat
Cartoons Artists take on the clown signal, baby steps, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Roast lamb shoulder with ginger and fresh turmeric recipe
The Week Recommends Succulent and tender and falls off the bone with ease
By The Week UK Published
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
By The Week Staff Published
-
Supreme Court upholds 'ghost gun' restrictions
Speed Read Ghost guns can be regulated like other firearms
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump sets 25% tariffs on auto imports
Speed Read The White House says the move will increase domestic manufacturing. But the steep import taxes could also harm the US auto industry.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump allies urge White House to admit chat blunder
Speed Read Even pro-Trump figures are criticizing The White House's handling of the Signal scandal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Waltz takes blame for texts amid calls for Hegseth ouster
Speed Read Democrats are calling for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and national security adviser Michael Waltz to step down
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judge: Nazis treated better than Trump deportees
speed read U.S. District Judge James Boasberg reaffirmed his order barring President Donald Trump from deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US officials share war plans with journalist in group chat
Speed Read Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally added to a Signal conversation about striking Yemen
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Canada's Mark Carney calls snap election
speed read Voters will go to the polls on April 28 to pick a new government
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published