Near anniversary of war in Ukraine, Hawley talks China
This Monday will mark one year of war in Ukraine.
For many politicians in Washington, the one-year mark is a moment to reiterate their support for the Ukrainians as they fight back against their Russian invaders. President Joe Biden is taking a trip to Poland to mark the moment. U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is going to the Munich Security Conference this weekend.
U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, on the other hand, gave a speech Thursday at the Heritage Foundation entitled “China and Ukraine: A Time for Truth.”
The Missouri Republican has long been skeptical about sending military aid to Ukraine. Right before the war broke out, Hawley suggested Ukraine should not be allowed to join NATO, prompting then White House press secretary Jen Psaki to say he was “parroting” Russian talking points. He has voted against aid packages to Ukraine, didn’t attend Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s speech to Congress last year and voted against allowing Sweden and Finland to join NATO.
In his speech, Hawley laid out his basic argument for why he doesn’t support U.S. aide to Ukraine in their fight against Russia: He thinks the U.S. needs to focus on China instead.
He said the U.S. doesn’t have the ability to arm itself, Taiwan and Ukraine at the same time. And he said the resources going to Ukraine, need to be going to Taiwan instead.
“We must make clear that, given the Chinese threat and the need for deterrence, we will be forced to withhold forces from any direct conflict with Russia,” Hawley said. “So even if U.S. forces aren’t at war in the Pacific, Europe still can’t count on us like they used to.”
Hawley’s speech spent a lot of time on China as an economic threat. He said allowing China into the World Trade Organization was a generational mistake and said that while trade deals with China have been good for some Americans, wide swaths of the country have been left behind as manufacturing has moved overseas.
“We need to be nationalists,” Hawley said. “And there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Hawley spent much of his speech talking about the “uniparty,” which is a term generally used by the far-right and implies the Washington establishment — both Republicans and Democrats — are united when it comes to foreign policy.
He was dismissive of claims that helping Russia beat Ukraine sends a message to China not to attempt the same in Taiwan, which is an argument McConnell has used when talking about the need to arm Ukraine.
But Hawley’s proposed solution for the issue — having European nations contribute more to NATO so the U.S. can focus on China — was similar to a message from McConnell in a floor speech Thursday, where the Kentucky senator said he planned to tell European allies that they need to increase their investment in NATO.
“In the short term, both America and our allies need to serve our own interests by investing in the munitions and weapons systems that will help Ukraine defeat the invasion,” McConell said. “But this new chapter of realism and resolve cannot end with Ukraine. Because the long-term threats and challenges that we face go much deeper. A nuclear-armed Russia poses a threat to the United States and NATO. And China poses an even greater threat still to American interests and those of our allies.”
“These challenges are multifaceted, they are global, and they are only growing,” McConnell said.
More from Missouri
A St. Louis hospital will continue providing gender-affirming care to patients even as Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey investigates allegations that it harmed children. The attention on The Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital comes after a former employee raised concerns that it was not rigorous enough in investigating whether to provide gender affirming care, thrusting the hospital into a politically contentious moment where some lawmakers are trying to make gender-affirming care illegal for children.
Here are headlines from across the state:
St. Louis transgender center will continue care during investigation, Kacen Bayless and Maia Bond
Hawley thinks you should be 16 to join social media. Would an age restriction work?, Daniel Desrochers
Lawmakers honor Chiefs, Nick Bolton with resolution by former KC cheerleader, Kacen Bayless
KS, MO weigh ban on gender-affirming care amid wave of anti-trans bills, Katie Bernard and Jonathan Shorman
Bailey, Kobach urge judge to block medication used in majority of Kansas abortions, Jonathan Shorman
And across Kansas
Republicans in Kansas elected former Johnson County commissioner Mike Brown to be the party’s chairman for the next two years. The election of the outspoken Brown, who elevated baseless claims about election fraud, indicates the party is looking to double-down on its appeals to its base of voters rather than appeal toward the middle, in the aftermath of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s reelection.
KS GOP elects as chair former candidate who elevated baseless election security fears, Jonathan Shorman
Critics say GOP bill in Kansas House could wipe out LGBTQ protections, Judy L. Thomas and Katie Bernard
KS bill would ban transgender women from female designated spaces, Jenna Barackman and Katie Bernard
Kobach says bill stops China from buying KS farms. It might block immigrants from owning homes, Katie Bernard
Nominee was praised for helping free Kevin Strickland. It’s being used against her, Daniel Desrochers and Luke Nozicka
The latest from Kansas City
In Kansas City …
‘Our department is hurting’: KC police officer killed in crash identified, Jenna Thompson and Katie Moore
The Kansas City Chiefs got invited to the White House. Will they get to go this time?, Daniel Desrochers
Louis Vuitton! Uggs! Patrick Mahomes and entourage score style points at Chiefs parade, Lisa Gutierrez
Have a news tip? Send it along to ddesrochers@kcstar.com
Odds and ends
Chiefs resolution
The Senate was finally able to pass a resolution honoring the Chiefs Thursday, several days after resolutions from the Missouri senators and the Kansas senators were combined.
On the Senate floor Thursday, both U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran and Hawley made speeches praising the Chiefs. Hawley thanked the Hunt family, Chiefs president Mark Donovan, head coach Andy Reid and kicker Harrison Butker, who Hawley said is a friend.
Moran too, acknowledged the Chiefs leadership before saying the Chiefs are one of the few things Kansans and Missourians agree on.
“Chiefs Kingdom, ranging from Kansas to Missouri and all across the Midwest, has the best fans in the NFL,” Moran said. “And I look forward to the fan base growing even bigger as the Chiefs continue their dynasty for many years to come.”
The House wasn’t in session this week, but Rep. Emanuel Cleaver plans on introducing a House resolution on Friday. The Missouri Democrat was joined by Missouri Republican Reps. Sam Graves, Mark Alford and Kansas Democratic Sharice Davids, all who represent the Kansas City area. The resolution will pass the House after they come back on February 27.
OK, enough with the Chiefs. Pitchers and catchers reported to spring training this week.
Waters of the U.S.
The senators from Kansas and Missouri this week signed onto a letter with all of their Republican colleagues opposing the Biden administration’s new version of the Waters of the U.S. rule.
The rule was unveiled in January and instantly received push back from Republicans, who have long opposed the federal efforts to regulate waterways that may not directly touch navigable waters on the surface.
In the House, Rep. Sam Graves, a Missouri Republican, sponsored a resolution of disapproval, which is a process where Congress can say it disapproves of a rule made by an executive branch agency and stop it from going into effect. A similar resolution was introduced in the Senate by U.S. Sen. Shelly Moore Capito, a West Virginia Republican.
While the resolution has a chance to pass the Republican-controlled House, it would have a more difficult time in the Democratic-controlled Senate.
Mostly, it looks like the rule will likely be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, which is set to issue a ruling on a case that could ultimately determine the definition of navigable waters.
Hawley’s pollster
U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley last week grabbed some attention when he pledged to investigate the Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital after allegations about the clinic’s standards of care from a former employee.
There is only so much Hawley can investigate — he told me he was planning to gather information, learn about the clinic’s practices and then potentially share what he learned with the Missouri attorney general, who was already conducting his own investigation — but it’s part of a larger political argument by Republicans across the country to make gender-affirming care illegal for children.
Why this fixation on a rather small percentage of the population by a major political party? Well, a poll by Hawley’s political consulting group OnMessage and paid for by the American Principles Project, which advocates against trans care, could help explain things.
The poll found that 76% of respondents would be more likely to support a candidate in a Republican presidential primary who prioritized banning permanent gender transition medical procedures and treatments for minors. It had more support than candidates who prioritized comprehensive immigration reform, making changes to social security and medicare or those that wanted to provide military aid to Ukraine.
Those same voters also seemed to choose Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over former President Donald Trump with 53% to 38% in a head to head primary. DeSantis has made opposition to LGBTQ rights a tenet of his platform.
Happy Friday
Here’s an article that will scare you about AI. Mardi Gras is on Tuesday. Here’s a recipe for King Cake. Here’s a new-ish song by Stephen Sanchez.
Enjoy your weekend.
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