Former Texas Rep. Ron Paul expressed skepticism Thursday on whether President-elect Donald Trump could make good on his "drain the swamp" pledge because the federal government was too big and many of his possible Cabinet picks were "not exactly the kind of individuals who will change things."
"We all hope he is successful, but I'm skeptical," Paul, 81, who ran for the presidency three times as a Republican or Libertarian, told Adam Shapiro on Fox Business. "I got involved in politics in early '70s — and my goal was to drain the swamp.
"Every year since then, with the Democrats or the Republicans in charge, the government always got bigger," he added. "He has a great idea, and there is a lot of enthusiasm for it, but there are a lot of names being thrown around that might be in the administration who are not exactly the kind of individuals who will change things."
Paul, father of Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, also cited the huge "shadow government" that exists in Washington as another major obstacle.
"There is also the invisible government, shadow government, the military-industrial complex, the financial industry, the Federal Reserve — and it is so big and powerful."
He also quashed talk of whether he was being considered for a role in a Trump White House.
"I don't think that there is the slightest possibility that would happen."
However, "if somebody was very honest, and would like to have me give them an opinion about something, I would do my very best to give an honest opinion," Paul said.
"But to be in there, I don't think an individual like myself would blend in," he added. "I know the system well enough it that would be too frustrating if I were appointed to the Federal Reserve.
"I want to get rid of Federal Reserve, so I wouldn't want to be a part of it."