In his address to the Republican National Convention on Tuesday, Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul talked about how the first time he met Donald Trump, the then-businessman offered to help fund a medical mission to Guatemala.
Paul went on to talk about how he is “proud” of Trump’s job performance as president, even though the two men do not always agree on everything.
“Donald Trump and I met many years ago, before he was running for anything,” said Paul, an ophthalmologist.
“When I first met him, I recall being struck by how down to earth he was. He seemed like just a normal guy. OK, a normal guy with his own plane and helicopter, but who’s counting,” the libertarian-leaning Republican added.
“I was planning a medical mission trip to Guatemala to perform charity eye surgeries, and we needed money to fund the trip,” he said.
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Trump didn’t hesitate to help out, according to Paul.
“Donald Trump offered to help, and immediately came through for us,” he said.
And he would support another mission trip to Haiti the following year as well, Paul added.
“Not only did he support my medical mission to Guatemala, but he also contributed to another mission trip to Haiti a year later,” he said.
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“We performed hundreds of cataract surgeries in both countries. Nothing is more amazing than removing the bandages from a person’s eyes, and watching them as they see their loved ones again. Donald Trump helped me make that happen.”
Paul then recounted how he and Trump were rivals for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, and later allies.
“A few years later, we were opponents, both running for president. We all know how that turned out,” Paul said.
“But I’m proud of the job Donald Trump has done as president. I don’t always agree with him, but our occasional policy differences are far outweighed by our significant agreements.”
Later, Paul, an outspoken opponent of America’s continued involvement in Middle Eastern wars, contrasted Trump to former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic Party’s nominee for president.
“Joe Biden voted for the Iraq War, which President Trump has long called the worst geopolitical mistake of our generation. I fear Biden will choose war again. He supported the war in Serbia, Syria, Libya,” Paul said.
“Joe Biden will continue to spill our blood and treasure,” he added. “President Trump will bring our heroes home. If you hate war like I hate war, if you want us to quit sending $50 billion every year to Afghanistan to build their roads and bridges instead of building them here at home, you need to support President Trump for another term.
“So to our soldiers and their families — join me in supporting President Trump.”
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