‘SABOTAGE!’ Trump Berates ‘Second-Tier’ GOP Senator Josh Hawley as ‘Pawn’ for Supporting Stock Trading Ban
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President Donald Trump fired his rhetorical digital missiles at a fellow Republican Wednesday afternoon, berating Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) for sponsoring a bill that would ban stock trading for members of Congress — and the president and vice president.
The issue of members of Congress investing in publicly-traded stocks has been controversial for a long time, especially since they often vote on issues that could directly affect their investments and obtain insider information that could shift share prices once it became publicly known.
Earlier in the day Wednesday, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) voiced her support for Hawley’s bill, relabeled as the HONEST Act. Pelosi’s support was notable because she is one of the most criticized members of Congress accused of leveraging the power of her elected position to make advantageous stock trades; the original version of Hawley’s bill was called the PELOSI Act as an obvious slight directed her way.
Trump had previously been noncommittal about the bill when questioned by reporters, but Pelosi coming out in support seems to have pushed him to come out swinging in opposition.
In a Truth Social post at 4:29 pm ET, Trump blasted Hawley, accusing him of voting to block a review of Pelosi’s stock trades and supporting a bill that is “so bad for our COUNTRY!”
Trump added that it was “[v]ery much like SABOTAGE!” and claimed Hawley was being a “pawn” and “playing right into the dirty hands of the Democrats.”
“I don’t think real Republicans want to see their President, who has had unprecedented success, TARGETED, because of the ‘whims’ of a second-tier Senator named Josh Hawley!” Trump concluded.
The full text of Trump’s post:
Why would one “Republican,” Senator Josh Hawley from the Great State of Missouri, join with all of the Democrats to block a Review, sponsored by Senator Rick Scott, and with the support of almost all other Republicans, of Nancy Pelosi’s Stock Trading over the last 25 years. The information was inappropriately released just minutes before the Vote — Very much like SABOTAGE! The Democrats, because of our tremendous ACHIEVEMENTS and SUCCESS, have been trying to “Target” me for a long period of time, and they’re using Josh Hawley, who I got elected TWICE, as a pawn to help them. I wonder why Hawley would pass a Bill that Nancy Pelosi is in absolute love with — He is playing right into the dirty hands of the Democrats. It’s a great Bill for her, and her “husband,” but so bad for our Country! I don’t think real Republicans want to see their President, who has had unprecedented success, TARGETED, because of the “whims” of a second-tier Senator named Josh Hawley!
