Former Texas Congressman and presidential hopeful Ron Paul publicly criticized President Trump on Monday following a post in which Trump referred to Paul’s son, Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.), as a “nasty liddle guy.”

“In a hysterical outburst over the weekend, President Trump lambasted Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) as ‘wackos’ for their refusal to align with the Republican Party,” Ron Paul stated in a post on X. Ron Paul, who has pursued the presidency three times, both as a Libertarian and a Republican up until 2012, did not hold back in his critique.

He further commented, “At the same time, President Trump has declared that his first in-person fundraising event of the election cycle is set for… Lindsey Graham! Additionally today, Israel has breached the ceasefire, resulting in the deaths of dozens more Palestinians in Gaza.”

President Trump has often criticized both Rand Paul and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) as RINOs—Republicans in Name Only—due to their dissenting votes on significant GOP legislative measures.

Senator Rand Paul notably stood against the summer spending package, which was touted as the “one, big beautiful bill.”

“Whatever happened to ‘Senator’ Rand Paul? He was never great, but he went really BAD!” wrote Trump. “I got him elected, TWICE (in the Great Commonwealth of Kentucky!), but he just never votes positively for the Republican Party,” Trump wrote in a Sunday Truth Social post. 

“He’s a nasty liddle’ guy, much like ‘Congressman’ Thomas Massie, aka Rand Paul Jr., also of Kentucky (which I won three times, in massive landslides!), a sick Wacko, who refuses to vote for our great Republican Party, MAGA, or America First. It’s really weird!!!” the president added. 

Rand Paul was asked about Trump’s post during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“I think the problem is this — is that in Washington, what I represent some people describe as unusual. And the president describes it as weird that I’m for less debt and balanced budget,” the Kentucky senator told Kristen Welker.

“But when I come home to Kentucky or when I travel the United States, people come up to me and say, ‘Stick to your guns. You’re the only voice up there, Republican or Democrat, who’s still talking about the debt and still talking about balanced budgets.’ But I don’t take it too seriously,” he added. 

Later in the interview, he referenced Trump as the “one of the best presidents, if not the best president of my lifetime.’