WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Rand Paul took to the Senate floor with a fiery critique of U.S. foreign aid, questioning why American taxpayers are funding what he called “dictatorships” in Egypt and Ukraine.
“Over the years, we’ve given Egypt nearly $60 billion. Who runs Egypt? A general where there are no elections…” Paul stated, referring to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, a former military general who has been in power since 2014.
Paul went on to draw parallels between Egypt and Ukraine, where President Volodymyr Zelensky has canceled elections, effectively extending his rule without a vote.
“Kind of like Ukraine, where it’s a ‘president’ but he doesn’t have to run for re-election because he has canceled the elections,” Paul added.
The senator then revealed that $4.8 million in U.S. taxpayer money had been spent on social media influencers in Ukraine, along with hundreds of thousands of dollars to send Ukrainian designers to a fashion show in Paris—expenditures he called wasteful and unjustifiable.
Egypt’s Role in U.S. Foreign Aid
Egypt has long been one of the largest recipients of U.S. foreign aid, receiving billions in military and economic assistance as part of a long-standing strategic partnership with Washington. Supporters of aid to Egypt argue that it ensures regional stability, particularly in counterterrorism efforts and maintaining peace with Israel.
However, Paul and other critics have argued that sending billions to a military-led government with limited political freedoms contradicts U.S. values.
“Why in the world would we give money hand over fist to dictators?” Paul questioned, calling for a reassessment of U.S. foreign aid policies.
What’s Next?
Paul’s comments could add pressure on lawmakers to re-evaluate U.S. aid to both Egypt and Ukraine, as public scrutiny over foreign spending grows. The Egyptian government has not yet responded to the senator’s remarks, but with Congress debating future aid packages, Cairo may soon have to justify its reliance on American taxpayer dollars.
