Despite President Donald Trump’s strong opposition to his proposal to prohibit stock trading among top government officials, Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, maintains that he has a positive relationship with the president, who shares his objective of implementing such a ban.
“The president and I had a very productive discussion,” Hawley informed Fox News Digital on Thursday, noting that “he is eager to see it accomplished.”
“The White House’s request was that the president and vice president not be included. They are not covered, but the positions are, and it will apply to the subsequent office holders,” he clarified.
The Missouri lawmaker added that “in all fairness, we did the same for Joe Biden. We passed this legislation last year, and we set the effective date so that it would be the next president who would need to comply.”
“So, Trump and Vance are exempt, but all members of Congress are covered. It’s not a flawless bill, but it’s quite stringent,” Hawley remarked.
Hawley’s bill, initially named the PELOSI Act but later renamed the HONEST Act following the support of Senate Democrats, drew the ire of Trump and many Senate Republicans. The bill advanced out of committee with an 8-7 vote, with Hawley siding with Democrats to endorse the measure.
Shortly after the vote, Trump criticized Hawley in a post on Truth Social, labeling him a “pawn” and a “second-tier” senator.
Despite the criticism, Hawley expressed to Fox News Digital, “I am determined to see this through.”
“I am committed to implementing this ban. So, I am willing to collaborate with anyone, I told my colleagues that if they have constructive revisions to strengthen the bill, I am open to it. I will not, however, entertain compromises that would undermine the bill,” he stated. “He proposed an amendment put forth by Senator Rick Scott, a Republican from Florida, and endorsed by Trump, which he claimed, “would have significantly weakened the bill.”
“Scott made it abundantly clear that he opposes this bill and was attempting to torpedo it,” Hawley asserted.
Senator Ron Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin, remarked to Fox News Digital that he finds it “hypocritical” of Representative Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, to back the bill after years of her husband engaging in profitable trading.
“I found it intriguing that all the Democrats, along with Senator Hawley, voted against Rick Scott’s excellent amendment, which would have requested the Government Accountability Office to investigate how she amassed such wealth,” he commented. “If they genuinely wanted to get to the bottom of that, they would have supported that amendment. Their decision to vote against it speaks volumes.”
Senator James Lankford, a Republican from Oklahoma, remarked, “The concept is sound, but the execution is lacking.”
“I wanted to see a bill that is truly effective and functional. This bill prohibits activities like cryptocurrency, digital currency, and stablecoin usage,” he elaborated. “It is a straightforward concept. However, we need to refine the language of this particular version to ensure its accuracy.”
Senator Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, also raised concerns about the bill’s exemption for Trump. He told Fox News Digital, “If it were a solid bill, it would apply to Donald Trump. The fact that he is excluded, and will be immune from it, likely indicates that it is not a very strong bill.”
On the Democratic side, Senator John Fetterman from Pennsylvania expressed his support for the bill, stating, “Treat everyone equally and refrain from trading stocks if you are a member here.”
In conclusion, Hawley indicated that he agreed to the revisions to exclude Trump and Vance in order to secure a bill that could be enacted into law.
“I want something that can pass and be signed by him, and I believe we made progress in that direction today,” he concluded.
