Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Sunday said he hasn't decided whether to support President Donald Trump's pick to be the next attorney general because of concerns about privacy issues.
Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," Paul said he's concerned that William Barr, who was attorney general from 1991 to 1993, "has been a big supporter of the PATRIOT Act, which lowered the standard for spying on Americans, and he even went so far as to say the PATRIOT Act was pretty good — we should go much further."
He also alleged that Barr is a "big fan" of seizing people’s property through civil asset forfeiture.
"I haven't made a decision about him, but I can‘t tell you — the first things I've learned about him being for more surveillance of Americans is very, very troubling," Paul said.
Barr, who served in the administration of President George H.W. Bush, is Trump’s pick to replace Jeff Sessions. William Barr
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The Kentucky Republican also took issue with the Trump administration's continued support of Saudi Arabia and its yearslong war with Yemen.
"I think selling arms should have to do solely with our national security," according to Paul, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
He argued that U.S. support and involvement in the conflict only "engenders more terrorism" and increases risks to national security.
The Saudis "are not good actors" and won't cease their operations against Yemen "unless Washington stops selling arms to Riyadh," Paul said.
He also the Saudi ambassador in Washington "should go home."