Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul got testy with interviewer Savannah Guthrie during an appearance on the TODAY show Wednesday morning.
Paul appeared via video from Nashua, N.H. on the second day of his presidential campaign announcement tour.
Guthrie asked Paul about why his views changed on several foreign policy issues, and Paul took offense to the way she framed the question.
The exchange went as follows:
Guthrie: "You have had views in the past on foreign policy that are somewhat unorthodox. But you seem to have changed over the years. You once said Iran was not a threat, now you say it is. You once proposed ending foreign aid to Israel, you now support it — at least for the time being. And you once offered to drastically …"
Paul: "Before we go. Before we go. Before we go through. Before we go through a litany of. Before we go through a litany of," as Guthrie kept speaking.
Guthrie: "… Drastically wanted to cut defense spending and now you want to increase it 16 percent. So I just wonder if you've mellowed out."
Paul: "Why don't you let me explain instead of talking over me, OK? Before we go through a litany of things you say I've changed on, why don't you ask me a question, have I changed my opinion on. That would be a better way to approach an interview. You've editorialized."
Guthrie: "Is Iran still a threat?"
Paul: "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Listen. You've editorialized, let me answer a question. You ask a question and you say, 'have your views changed' instead of editorializing and saying my views have changed. Let's start out with regard to foreign aid.
"My opinion has always been that we shouldn't borrow money from China to send it to any country — Pakistan, Israel, or any other country. But I also realize that things will have to be done gradually, and if we are going to try to eliminate or reduce foreign aid, why don't we start with the countries that hate us, that burn our flag. And the one thing that is true is that Israel doesn't burn our flag, and so I haven't proposed removing aid from Israel. But I still agree …"
Guthrie: "But you once did."
Paul: "… with my original precept, which is. Let me answer the question. I agree with my original statement from years ago that ultimately all nations should be free of foreign aid because we shouldn't borrow money to do it. But my opinion's not any different than Netanyahu's opinion. When he came before a joint session of Congress in 1996, he said 'You know what? Eventually Israel ought to also be independent of it.' And in Israel's defense, maybe stronger, because then they wouldn't be forced to buy defense products from outside the country."
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Earlier in the interview, Guthrie asked Paul his opinion of the deal with Iran over its nuclear program.
"I think that's part of the problem," Paul said. "The Iranian foreign minister immediately came out, writing in English, saying that it meant something completely different than what President Obama said."
Guthrie interrupted, saying, "right, but let's just take that issue off the table."
Paul said, "let me answer the question. Let me answer the question," before going into his answer.
This isn't the first time Paul has clashed with someone during an interview. In February, he got testy with
CNBC's Kelly Evans regarding his thoughts on vaccines.
Paul announced his
intention to run for president on Tuesday.