Of the five Senate Republicans who voted to restrict President Donald Trump’s military powers, one, Sen. Josh Hawley from Missouri, often mirrors Trump’s rhetoric but has a history of disagreements with him on various policies.
Hawley frequently praises his connection with Trump and supports many of the president’s initiatives in the Senate. However, he is not shy about diverging from Trump’s stance on key votes and issues, leading to pushback from the president on social media.
A prime example was the recent vote condemning military actions against Venezuela, which put Hawley at odds with an upset Trump. The president expressed that Hawley, along with Senators Susan Collins, Todd Young, Lisa Murkowski, and Rand Paul, “should never be elected to public office again.”
After the vote, Hawley attempted to clarify his position. “I love the president, and I think he’s doing a great job,” he stated to reporters. “But when it comes to Venezuela, that’s our focus today. If the president wants military action there, we must follow Article 1 and vote on it.”
Despite his support for Trump in many areas, Hawley has also taken divergent paths on issues like healthcare, union policies, and a proposed ban on stock trading among Congress members.
The last notable public criticism from Trump toward Hawley came in July when the senator pushed the Honesty Act, which aimed to address stock trading concerns, leading Trump to label him a “second-rate senator” and question his motivations for bringing the bill forward.
More recently, Hawley sided with Senate Democrats to prolong Obamacare premium subsidies after they were set to expire. While not overtly criticizing Trump, he emphasized that extending subsidies alone wasn’t adequate.
Additionally, Hawley has expressed concerns over Trump’s executive orders aimed at federal unions. Though skeptical about a Democratic bill meant to reverse those orders, he noted a distinction between public and private sector unions.
Hawley has also voiced frustration over proposed cuts to Medicaid, which he argued would severely impact rural healthcare facilities. Reflecting on this, he said, “I think my party needs to take a hard look at itself. To claim to represent the working class, healthcare access must remain a priority.”
