Hawaii's Brian Schatz lays into Josh Hawley on Senate floor: 'Completely ridiculous'

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) has had it up to here with Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.).
In a fiery floor speech on Thursday, Schatz went after Hawley for vowing to block all Defense Department nominees until there was "a change" in broader foreign policy, Politico and Mediaite report.
For context, Hawley announced in September he'd be placing holds on civilian nominees to the departments of Defense and State until their respective secretaries — Lloyd Austin and Antony Blinken — resigned, per Mediaite.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
And on Thursday, after blocking nominee Christopher Lowman — President Biden's pick for assistant secretary for sustainment — Hawley claimed U.S. foreign policy has a "Joe Biden problem," and vowed to continue holding nominees "until there is accountability, until we have a change in policy," per Politico.
But Schatz wasn't buying the (what he called) "completely ridiculous" and "preposterous" revolt.
The Missouri congressman is "damaging the Department of Defense," Schatz said in his Thursday tirade. "And this comes from a guy who raised his fist in solidarity with the insurrectionists. ... This comes from a guy who just about a month ago voted against Ukraine aid!"
"He's saying it's going too slow. He voted 'no'!" Schatz continued. "He voted 'no' on Ukraine aid and now he has the gall to say it's going too slow!"
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
"And this final insult is that until, what, Secretary Austin resigns? That's not a serious request," Schatz went on.
The Hawaii lawmaker would rather Hawley "spare me the new solidarity with the Ukrainians and with the free world" because his record "is exactly the opposite," Schatz concluded.
Watch the full moment:
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
DOJ indicts John Bolton over classified files
Speed Read Continuing the trend of going after his political enemies, Trump prosecutes his former national security adviser
-
Trump, Putin set summit as Zelenskyy lands in DC
Speed Read Trump and Putin have agreed to meet in Budapest soon to discuss ending the war in Ukraine
-
Courts deal setbacks to Trump’s Chicago operations
Speed Read President Donald Trump cannot deploy the National Guard in Illinois
-
Pentagon reporters turn in badges after refusing rules
Speed Read They refused to sign a restrictive new press policy imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
-
Supreme Court points to gutting Voting Rights Act
speed read States would no longer be required to consider race when drawing congressional maps
-
Trump says he authorized covert CIA ops in Venezuela
Speed Read He is also considering military strikes inside the country
-
Do Republicans have a health care plan?
Today's Big Question The shutdown hinges on the answer
-
‘Vile, racist’ leaked chats roil Young Republicans
Speed Read Leaders of Young Republican groups made racist, antisemitic and violent comments in private chats