Sen. Rand Paul warned that President Trump’s push for GOP-led redistricting could inflame partisan tensions and possibly lead to political violence if voters feel disenfranchised. On Meet the Press, Paul said retaliatory map changes by both parties amount to an escalating dynamic that risks leaving many voters unrepresented. He cited the prospect of entire states becoming overwhelmingly one-party — for example, no Republicans in California or no Democrats in Texas — as especially dangerous. Paul called the trend a mistake and said he was unsure how to de-escalate the situation.
Rand Paul Warns Trump’s Redistricting Push Could Spark Political Violence
Rand Paul explained that 'civil tension' could rise if redistricting led people to feel that their vote had no impact. / NBC News
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) warned that President Trump’s campaign to encourage GOP-controlled states to redraw congressional maps could inflame political tensions and potentially trigger violence if voters feel disenfranchised.
Speaking on Meet the Press on Sunday, Paul criticized efforts to aggressively reshape districts for partisan advantage and cautioned that retaliatory map changes by both parties risk escalating civic friction.
Welker began the segment by asking about Trump's GOP gerrymandering plans and threats, but Paul said it was an issue on 'both sides.' / Alex Wong/Getty Images
‘People Will Feel Their Vote Isn’t Counted’
“I think there is the potential that when people feel they have no representation, that they are disenfranchised, that it can lead and might lead to violence in our country,” Paul said.
“I am concerned if there are no representatives, like no Republican representatives in California or no Democrats in Texas, that it would be so thoroughly one-sided that people will feel like their vote isn’t counting. And so I think it’s a mistake.”
Paul’s remarks came after host Kristen Welker asked about President Trump’s public criticism of Indiana Senate leader Rod Bray for rejecting gerrymandering plans. Paul noted discussions among some Democrats about redrawing their own maps in response and described the situation as “escalation on both sides.”
Calling redistricting a 'mistake,' the senator theorized that having more 'disenfranchised' voters could lead to 'violence in our country.' / NBC News
“This is a negative aspect of both parties doing this. It will lead to more civil tension and possibly more violence in our country,” he said, adding that extreme partisan map-drawing risks leaving large groups of voters feeling unrepresented.
Warnings and Uncertainty
Paul emphasized that the problem is not confined to one party: “I’m not saying it’s a mistake of the Republicans. I’m saying it’s a mistake of both parties and I don’t know how to de-escalate this.” His comments underline concerns that aggressive gerrymandering and tit-for-tat redistricting could undermine public trust in elections and raise the stakes for civic stability.
