Homeland Security Chair Acknowledges President’s Authority on Federal Firings; ‘Prefers Not to Have Troops’ in Portland But Supports Action
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, offered a mixed assessment of the administration’s actions on debt, a looming government shutdown, and the deployment of federal forces to cities like Portland, in an interview Sunday on Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.
As the country faces an immediate spending deadline and the threat of a government shutdown, Senator Paul criticized both Republican and Democrat proposals for adding trillions to the national debt, calling deficit spending “the biggest problem that our country faces.”
Paul, a staunch fiscal conservative, stated he opposes his own party’s plan because it would add approximately $2 trillion in debt, while the Democrat plan would add $3 trillion. He touted his “penny plan” as the only alternative that would achieve a balanced budget, though it failed to pass in a recent vote.
Regarding the possibility of a shutdown leading to mass layoffs of federal workers, as outlined in a memo by the budget director, Senator Paul backed the President’s authority.
He noted that multiple Supreme Court cases have upheld the executive branch’s wide-ranging ability to hire and fire employees, stating, “if the president can’t fire them, who can?” and adding that he believes the President “is going to win every one of those cases.”
On his role in Homeland Security, Senator Paul addressed the President’s announcement to send troops to “war-ravaged” Portland, Oregon, and immigration facilities, authorizing “full force” if necessary against groups like antifa. Paul confirmed he had not been briefed on the specific plans for Oregon but asserted the President has the “legal authority to send troops to protect federal buildings and federal proceedings such as courts,” a power that has existed since the Civil Rights Era.
While stating, “I’d prefer not to have troops in our cities,” Senator Paul nonetheless supported the action as a last resort, arguing it is necessary “if the states will not step up.”
He characterized Portland as having experienced “anarchy” and letting its city “burn” for a prolonged period. The Senator also weighed in on the President’s move to label antifa a domestic terrorist organization, cautioning against using such labels prematurely, as all individuals must be afforded due process.
However, he stressed the importance of prosecuting those who engage in violence and property destruction, saying, “I’m absolutely for going after the people wielding clubs and sticks… They have to be punished, and they will be.”
He maintained that antifa remains more of an “ideology” than an organized group with national leadership, a designation that complicates the use of anti-terrorism rules of engagement domestically.
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