"This whole notion that Assange, who's an Australian, that we want to prosecute him for treason -- I mean, aren't they jumping to a wild conclusion? This is media, isn't it? I mean, why don't we prosecute The New York Times or anybody that releases it?"

Paul went on to suggest that U.S. soldier Bradley Manning who is suspected of being WikiLeaks' source,, may be guilty of "civil disobedience."

"But," he continued, "do we think of Daniel Ellsberg as being an enemy of the people? He was a friend of truth. I know still there's probably plenty that still don't like him. But isn't he the one that really gave us the concrete proof that Vietnam was based on a lie? Most people should know that Iraq and Afghanistan's all based on a lie too."

U.S. authorities are investigating how to prosecute Assange for publishing US diplomatic cables and military secrets.

While the U.S. Constitution clearly states that Congress shall make no law abridging freedom of the press, perhaps those same rights aren't applicable to foreign citizens, just as the right of due process has not been afforded to foreigners detained in other countries by U.S. authorities.

Rand, who is incoming chairman of a House subcommittee on monetary policy, is critical of the US Federal Reserve. During Thursday's interview he said that "what we need is more WikiLeaks about the Federal Reserve."

"Can you imagine what it'd be like if we had every conversation in the last 10 years with our Federal Reserve people, the Federal Reserve chairman, with all the central bankers of the world and every agreement or quid-pro-quo they have? It would be massive. People would be so outraged."