As both Trump-deranged Democrats and “Never Trump” Republican hawks teamed up to attack Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., this week over his trip to Russia, many believing it was a temporary stunt to defend President Trump post-Helsinki, the Washington Examiner reported Thursday that the senator had actually been planning this trip for some time.

“According to sources, Paul’s trip has been in the works for nearly six months and supported by Trump team,” the Washington Examiner‘s Paul Bedard reported.