President Donald Trump said Thursday that “of course” Sen. Rand Paul is invited to the annual congressional picnic later in the day, amid a dispute with the Kentucky Republican over his invite to the long-held bipartisan gathering.

Paul, a vocal opponent of Trump's tariff policy and the "Big Beautiful Bill" he's pushing Republicans to pass, said he'd planned to take his grandson to the event.

President Trump and first lady Melania Trump are hosting the annual congressional picnic on the White House’s South Lawn Thursday evening. The informal gathering brings in members of the