Donald Trump disses Rand Paul's golf game

The growing feud between Rand Paul and Donald Trump is getting a little weird. The latest bone of contention: Rand’s golf game.

On Wednesday, the Kentucky senator’s campaign released a new attack ad featuring clips of Trump meant to peg him as a Democrat. “I really believe the Republicans are just too crazy right,” the ad begins, quoting Trump from a 1999 New York Times article. It then chronicles other statements Trump has made over the years attacking the GOP and praising Democrats such as former President Bill Clinton.


The real estate mogul struck back a few hours later, releasing a lengthy, typo-ridden statement attacking Paul and, oddly, describing a time Trump beat him at golf.

“Rand Paul is doing so poorly in the polls he has to revert to old footage of me discussing positions I no longer hold,” Trump said in the statement. “As a world-class businessman, who built one of the great companies with some of the most iconic real estate assets in the world, it was my obligation to my family, my company, my employees and myself to maintain a strong relationship with all politicians whether Republican or Democrat. I did that and I did that well.”

Then Trump played the R card: “Reagan, as an example, was a Democrat with a liberal bent who became a conservative Republican,” he wrote.

And that’s when he pivoted to golf.

“Recently, Rand Paul called me and asked me to play golf. I easily beat him on the golf course and will even more easily beat him now, in the world in the politics [sic],” Trump said.

He added that after beating Paul at golf he made a big donation “to the eye center with which he is affiliated.”

The statement comes as Paul, an ophthalmologist, fights reports that his presidential campaign is losing momentum and faces growing home-state pressure to focus on preserving his Senate seat.

“Senator Paul has no chance of wining [sic] the nomination and the people of Kentucky should not allow him the privilege of remaining their Senator,” Trump said. “Rand should save his lobbyist’s [sic] and special interest money and just go quietly home.”

A week ago, Jesse Benton, a longtime Paul aide, and John Tate stepped down from a pro-Paul super PAC, America’s Liberty, after being indicted over allegations related to a bribery scheme from the 2012 cycle.

“Rand’s campaign is a total mess, and as a matter of fact, I didn’t know he had anybody left in his campaign to make commercials who are not currently under indictment!” Trump concluded.

In response, Paul’s chief strategist, Doug Stafford, offered a long and aggressive riposte to Trump.

“Donald Trump couldn’t set the intellectual conservative agenda of anything, not even the tiniest rooms, never mind a country,” Stafford said in a statement. “He is devoid of ideas, other than he likes the idea of power and getting attention for foolish statements and bluster.”

Stafford also played the R card — but on Paul’s behalf.

“Rand Paul is the one following in the footsteps of Reagan, setting the intellectual agenda for a conservative movement of change. Rand stands for principle. He has detailed plans to end our debt by balancing the budget in 5 years. He has a detailed flat and fair tax that would be a huge tax cut for Americans while ending the corporate welfare gravy train for people like Donald Trump,” Stafford said.

Next, Stafford touched on the golf game.

“While he appreciates Donald’s golf skills; I will note that it was on his home course that he plays often. And he does sincerely appreciate Donald’s generosity to the eye clinic. In fact he has mentioned it often, including in his op Ed and speeches this weekend,” Stafford continued.

Stafford then returned to Paul’s original line of attack.

“The fact is, Rand is running to fight the big business, big government establishment. Donald Trump already represents one end of that problem. Now he wants to represent the other. It won’t work,” Stafford said.