Rand Paul says he's '50-50' on running for president in 2028, 'thinking about it'
The Kentucky senator has said that he plans to wait until after the 2026 midterm elections to decide
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said he is "50-50" on potentially running for president in 2028 during an interview with "CBS News Sunday Morning."
"Yeah, I don't know yet, so maybe they know something I don't know," Paul said when asked about a recent Washington Examiner headline on the topic. "We're thinking about it, and I would say 50-50. We'll make a decision after the [2026 midterm] election."
He added, "But I'm not going to do it just to do it. It would be, one, because we need to have a free market wing. We need to have a free trade wing in the party. And we need to have a wing of the party who's not eager for war and tries to at least explore diplomacy as an option to war."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}RAND PAUL SAYS 'WITHOUT QUESTION' TRUST HAS BEEN BROKEN AFTER MINNESOTA SHOOTING
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul previously ran for president in 2016. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Fox News Digital reached out to Paul's office for comment.
Paul has become a vocal GOP critic of President Donald Trump over his use of tariffs and, more recently, his military strikes against Iran. His opposition to war with Iran has put him at odds with many Republicans in the Senate.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I think they're more unified probably for war than they are just about anything else," Paul remarked on "CBS News Sunday Morning."
Paul hinted at the possibility of running for president earlier this month during an interview on "Sunday Night with Chuck Todd."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We’ll decide after 2026," Paul said.
Rand Paul has opposed President Donald Trump's use of tariffs and military strikes against Iran. (Left: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images; Right: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
He added, "The most important thing to me isn’t necessarily me or what my role is, but that there is someone who’s advocating that international trade is good and makes us rich. That big is not bad."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Paul previously ran for president in 2016 in the Republican presidential primary against then-candidate Donald Trump. He dropped out after the Iowa caucuses and has not launched another presidential campaign since.
Paul has also floated the idea of running for president last July, though he said it was "too early to tell."
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has repeatedly floated the idea of launching another presidential campaign. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc )
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I think in the Republican Party, though, there needs to be someone representing that international trade is good for America, that we get richer and more prosperous in the world we trade," he told Kentucky's Courier Journal newspaper.