Adam Kinzinger calls 'con artist' Josh Hawley 'one of the worst human beings'


Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) told the world exactly how he feels about Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), calling him "one of the worst human beings" who should be "ashamed" of things he's done.
Kinzinger blasted Hawley on Wednesday after the senator sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken that said the Biden administration should stop supporting Ukraine in its efforts to be admitted into NATO. Instead, Hawley stated, the U.S. needs to focus on "denying China's hegemonic ambitions in the Indo-Pacific." Russia, which has amassed tens of thousands of troops along the border with Ukraine, has demanded that Ukraine not be admitted into NATO.
Hawley's letter struck a nerve with Kinzinger, who tweeted in response, "I hate to be so personal, but Hawley is one of the worst human beings, and a self egrandizing [sic] con artist." Hawley is a supporter of former President Donald Trump who helped lead efforts to contest President Biden's election victory and raised his fist in support of protesters at the Capitol on Jan. 6, and Kinzinger said that when "Trump goes down," he hopes Hawley's "evil" will be out in the open "for all to see, and be ashamed of."
Subscribe to 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.
Kinzinger wasn't the only person to call out Hawley – on Wednesday afternoon, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, "If you are digesting Russian misinformation and parroting Russian talking points, you are not aligned with long-standing bipartisan American values, which is to stand up for the sovereignty of countries like Ukraine, but others."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Some mainstream Democrats struggle with Zohran Mamdani's surprise win
TALKING POINT To embrace or not embrace? A party in transition grapples with a rising star ready to buck political norms and energize a new generation.
-
How to make music part of your vacation
Let the rhythm move you
-
What is credit card churning and why is it risky?
the explainer Churners frequently open new credit cards with the intent of earning a welcome bonus and accessing other perks
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami
-
GOP races to revise megabill after Senate rulings
Speed Read A Senate parliamentarian ruled that several changes to Medicaid included in Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" were not permissible
-
Supreme Court lets states ax Planned Parenthood funds
Speed Read The court ruled that Planned Parenthood cannot sue South Carolina over the state's effort to deny it funding
-
Trump plans Iran talks, insists nuke threat gone
Speed Read 'The war is done' and 'we destroyed the nuclear,' said President Trump
-
Trump embraces NATO after budget vow, charm offensive
Speed Read The president reversed course on his longstanding skepticism of the trans-Atlantic military alliance
-
Trump judge pick told DOJ to defy courts, lawyer says
Speed Read Emil Bove, a top Justice Department official nominated by Trump for a lifetime seat, stands accused of encouraging government lawyers to mislead the courts and defy judicial orders
-
Mamdani upsets Cuomo in NYC mayoral primary
Speed Read Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani beat out Andrew Cuomo in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary
-
Supreme Court clears third-country deportations
Speed Read The court allowed Trump to temporarily resume deporting migrants to countries they aren't from