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Donald Trump hosted Republican senators at the new 'Rose Garden Club' on Tuesday for a ritzy lunch as Diet Cokes flowed, laughter filled the air and sunshine glanced off the yellow-and-white striped umbrellas. But despite the blue-sky ambience, the President couldn't resist the urge to pour scorn on Kentucky senator Rand Paul, who has frequently clashed with Trump on spending, military action and tariffs. 'We have everybody but one person here. You'll never guess who that is,' Trump joked as the other senators chuckled. 'Let me give you a hint - he automatically votes No on everything. He thinks it's good politics; it's not good politics.' The President added: 'If he wanted to come, I'd probably let him come, begrudgingly.' But Paul's office told the Daily Mail he had not been invited to the luncheon. As the government shutdown entered its 21st day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio joked with senators Lindsey Graham and Josh Hawley, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent schmoozed Marsha Blackburn. Many of the guests partook in supping the President's favorite drink, a Diet Coke, to accompany the simple fare — a classic cheeseburger with lettuce, tomatoes and red onions, served with French fries and followed by chocolates for dessert. On the other side of the Capitol, Democrats are fuming as Republicans refuse to bow to their demands on a temporary funding bill. The GOP claims Obamacare extensions requested by the Democrats would give more than a million illegals free healthcare. Trump gave a nod to Russell Vought, whom he jokingly called 'Darth Vader,' and praised his work during the shutdown. The director of the Office of Management and Budget is responsible for which federal workers are furloughed and laid off and the Republicans have wielded the 'hatchet man' as a threat against Democrats. Playing up to the crowd, Trump took a shot at Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — the far-left Democratic congresswoman perceived by many as the driving force behind Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's intransigence. 'Schumer is even losing to AOC Plus 3,' Trump said, referring to Ocasio-Cortez and her far-left Squad, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib. 'What happened to the Plus 3? Are they still around? I met the president of Somalia and I said, "I have somebody I'd like to give back to you." He said, "No thanks. We don't want her."' Trump was referring to Omar, a radical leftist representing Minnesota, originally from Mogadishu, Somalia. The Rose Garden Club, a Mar-a-Lago-style patio, replaced the historic grass lawn in September. Dining tables can host around 50 guests, umbrellas provide shade from the sun, stone paving gives a Florida feel, and Trump frequently DJs on his iPad, playing his favorite hits from Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. It is not the first time Trump has snubbed Paul from his swanky events. In June, Paul claimed that he'd been uninvited from the annual Congressional Picnic amid his dispute with the President over the Big Beautiful Bill. Paul is a budget hawk who warned the $4 trillion spending package 'didn't add up' and was a 'terrible idea.' The Kentucky native has also recently criticized Trump for his strikes on Venezuelan drug smuggling boats, arguing that he needs congressional approval for the military action. The senator has also ripped the president over the tariffs, arguing that they are inflationary and are essentially taxes on American consumers.
