Josh Hawley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Josh Hawley
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Official portrait, 2019
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| United States Senator from Missouri |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2019 Serving with Eric Schmitt
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| Preceded by | Claire McCaskill |
| 42nd Attorney General of Missouri | |
| In office January 9, 2017 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Governor | Eric Greitens Mike Parson |
| Preceded by | Chris Koster |
| Succeeded by | Eric Schmitt |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Joshua David Hawley
December 31, 1979 Springdale, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Erin Morrow
(m. 2010) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Stanford University (BA) Yale University (JD) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | |
Joshua David Hawley (born December 31, 1979) is an American politician and lawyer. He is currently a U.S. Senator for Missouri, a job he has had since 2019. Before becoming a senator, Hawley was the Attorney General of Missouri from 2017 to 2019. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Hawley grew up in Springdale, Arkansas, and later in Lexington, Missouri. He went to Stanford University and Yale Law School. After law school, he worked as a lawyer and a professor. As Attorney General, he started several important investigations and lawsuits. He was reelected as a U.S. Senator in 2024.
Early Life and School
Joshua David Hawley was born on December 31, 1979, in Springdale, Arkansas. His father was a banker and his mother was a teacher. In 1981, his family moved to Lexington, Missouri.
Hawley went to Lexington Middle School and Rockhurst High School, a private school in Kansas City, Missouri. He finished high school in 1998 as the top student. While in high school, he wrote articles for his local newspaper.
He studied history at Stanford University and graduated in 2002 with high honors. One of his professors called him a very talented student. In the summer of 2000, Hawley worked as an intern at The Heritage Foundation, a conservative research group.
After teaching in London for a year, Hawley went to Yale Law School. He graduated in 2006 with a law degree. At Yale, he was involved with the Yale Law Journal and the school's Federalist Society chapter.
Early Career
After law school, Hawley worked as a law clerk for two important judges. First, he worked for Judge Michael W. McConnell from 2006 to 2007. Then, he worked for Chief Justice John Roberts at the U.S. Supreme Court from 2007 to 2008. While working for Chief Justice Roberts, he met his future wife, Erin Morrow.
After his clerkships, Hawley worked as a lawyer at a private firm from 2008 to 2011. In 2011, he moved back to Missouri. He became a professor at the University of Missouri Law School. He taught classes about law and government. From 2011 to 2015, Hawley also worked for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. There, he helped with legal cases related to religious freedom.
Running for Attorney General
Hawley started his campaign to become Attorney General of Missouri in July 2015. He won the Republican primary election in August 2016. He then won the general election against Democrat Teresa Hensley. When he was elected, Hawley became the first Republican Attorney General in Missouri since 1988. During his campaign, he had criticized politicians who "climbed the ladder" from one job to another. This was later brought up when he ran for the U.S. Senate just two years later.
Attorney General of Missouri (2017–2019)
Hawley became Attorney General on January 9, 2017. He was sworn in by the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Missouri.
Looking into Tech Companies
In November 2017, Hawley started an investigation into Google. He wanted to see if Google's business practices broke state laws about consumer protection and fair competition. The investigation looked at what data Google collects from users. It also checked how Google uses content from other companies and if its search results were fair.
In April 2018, after a big data privacy issue with Facebook, Hawley announced another investigation. His office asked Facebook for information about how it shares user data. The investigation aimed to find out if Facebook properly handled sensitive user data.
Lawsuit about Healthcare Law
In February 2018, Hawley joined 20 other states in a lawsuit. This lawsuit challenged the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a healthcare law. Some people worried the lawsuit would remove insurance protections for those with existing health conditions. However, Hawley stated he supported protections for these conditions. He later wrote an article explaining his support for protecting people with preexisting conditions. He suggested using taxpayer money to help insurance companies cover these patients.
U.S. Senate
Elections
2018 Senate Election
In August 2017, Hawley started exploring a run for the U.S. Senate. In October 2017, he officially announced he would run for the seat held by Democrat Claire McCaskill. Many important Republicans supported him, including President Donald Trump.
Hawley won the Republican primary election with a large number of votes. During the general election campaign, the Affordable Care Act was a main topic. Both candidates said they would protect coverage for people with preexisting conditions.
Hawley won the election in November 2018, defeating McCaskill.
After the election, in December 2018, Missouri's Secretary of State started an inquiry into whether Hawley used public money for his Senate campaign. Hawley's office said they did nothing wrong. In February 2019, the investigation was closed because there was not enough evidence. However, a 2021 investigation found that Hawley had used campaign funds for personal expenses. His office later said he paid the money back.
2024 Senate Election
Hawley ran for a second term as Senator in 2024. He debated with the Democratic candidate, Lucas Kunce. Hawley was reelected in November 2024.
Time in the Senate
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Hawley became a U.S. Senator on January 3, 2019.
In June 2019, Hawley helped stop a judge from being appointed to a federal court. He said the judge had shown "anti-religious" views in a past case.
In October 2019, Hawley visited Hong Kong during protests there. He spoke in favor of the protesters and called the city a "police state."
In November 2019, Hawley announced a bill to make it illegal for American companies to store user data in China. He said the bill would cause "serious problems" for companies like Apple and TikTok. He wanted to protect American data from countries like China and Russia.
Hawley joined President Donald Trump in asking for larger coronavirus relief checks for Americans. He worked with Senator Bernie Sanders to try and get $2,000 checks.
In February 2021, Hawley voted against almost all of President Joe Biden's choices for his cabinet. He was one of the few senators to do this.
In August 2022, Hawley was the only senator to vote against Sweden and Finland joining the NATO defense alliance. He said it was not in America's best interest and that China was a bigger threat than Russia.
Actions Around the 2020 Election
After Joe Biden won the 2020 United States presidential election, Hawley said he would object to the official counting of the Electoral College votes on January 6, 2021. He was the first senator to do this. He said his action was for people concerned about election fairness. Some critics said his actions were undemocratic.
On December 30, 2020, Hawley tweeted about his plan to object. Walmart's official Twitter account replied, "Go ahead. Get your 2 hour debate. #soreloser." Hawley accused Walmart of using "slave labor." Walmart deleted the tweet and apologized.
On January 4, 2021, Hawley tweeted that his Washington, D.C. home had been vandalized. He said his family was threatened by "Antifa scumbags." The group that held the event said it was a peaceful vigil. They said they did not vandalize his house. Police confirmed the protest was peaceful with no arrests.
U.S. Capitol Events and Public Reaction
On January 6, 2021, a crowd of protesters stormed the United States Capitol building. Before this happened, Hawley was photographed giving a raised fist salute to the protesters outside the Capitol. This photo became very well-known and caused a lot of discussion. Later that day, video showed Hawley running through the Capitol to escape the crowd.
Many people criticized Hawley for his actions. Some newspapers called for him to resign. A former Republican senator from Missouri, John Danforth, who had supported Hawley, said it was the "worst mistake" he ever made.
After the events, Hawley's approval rating dropped among voters in Missouri. Several companies and political donors stopped giving money to Hawley's campaigns. His book, The Tyranny of Big Tech, was canceled by its first publisher, Simon & Schuster, but was later published by another company.
Hawley said he would "never apologize for giving voice to the millions of Missourians and Americans who have concerns about the integrity of our elections." In January 2021, some Democratic senators filed a complaint against Hawley. Hawley called this a "partisan revenge" attempt.
In May 2021, Hawley voted against creating an independent group to investigate the Capitol events. In July 2022, video of Hawley running from the crowd on January 6 was shown during a House committee meeting. This video was widely shared and discussed online.
Committee Work
As a U.S. Senator, Hawley works on several important committees. These committees help make decisions about different areas of government.
For the 117th Congress, he was on:
- Committee on Armed Services
- Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
- Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
- Committee on the Judiciary
Political Views
Hawley's political views are often described as nationalist and populist. He is seen as a strong supporter of Donald Trump.
COVID-19 Pandemic
In early talks about COVID-19 relief, Hawley disagreed with some proposals. In April 2020, he suggested the U.S. government pay businesses to keep their workers employed during the pandemic. This idea was similar to programs in some European countries.
In December 2020, Hawley worked with Senator Bernie Sanders. They asked for direct payments of at least $1,200 to American workers in any new relief plan. In June 2021, Hawley called for Anthony Fauci to resign from his role as a top health official.
Elections
In 2023, Hawley introduced a bill to change how companies influence elections. The bill would stop publicly traded companies from making certain political donations.
Environment
As Missouri Attorney General, Hawley worked to reduce environmental protections. He filed lawsuits against the Trump administration to speed up this process. He said it was a way to help President Trump's agenda.
In 2023, Hawley supported a change to a defense law. This change would help people affected by radiation exposure. He said he would vote against the defense bill if this change was not included.
Foreign Policy
Early in his career, Hawley supported the Iraq War. He also supported helping other countries build democracies.
Since becoming a senator, Hawley has changed his focus. He now opposes U.S. wars in the Middle East. He believes the U.S. should focus more on China, which he sees as a major threat. He has criticized the idea of "endless war." He also wants to change or even get rid of the World Trade Organization.
During the Biden administration, Hawley often delayed the approval of Biden's nominees for foreign policy jobs.
Afghanistan
After the 2021 fall of Kabul and an attack at the airport, Hawley was among Republicans who called for President Biden to resign.
China and Hong Kong
Hawley is a strong critic of China. He calls China "the greatest security threat" to the U.S. He believes the U.S. should stop China from controlling other places like Hong Kong and Taiwan.
In October 2019, Hawley supported the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. He visited Hong Kong to see the protests. He tweeted that Beijing was trying to make Hong Kong a "police state."
Hawley has worked on laws to stop data from being sent to certain countries, including China. In July 2020, he criticized the NBA. He said they allowed players to support Black Lives Matter but not the Hong Kong protests. He also criticized the NBA's business in China, mentioning "slave labor."
Israel
During his 2018 Senate campaign, Hawley criticized Claire McCaskill for supporting a nuclear deal with Iran. He said the U.S. should stand with President Trump and Israel. Hawley opposes the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel. He supported Israel's right to defend itself during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war.
Mexico
On January 19, 2021, Hawley blocked the quick approval of a new Homeland Security secretary. He did this because the nominee would not promise to spend money on expanding the border wall.
Russia
Hawley has called the Mueller report a "hoax." He also called the Steele dossier "lies from a Russian spy." In January 2019, he voted to block Trump's plan to lift sanctions on three Russian companies. In July 2020, he said he did not believe reports about Russia paying the Taliban. However, he warned of punishment if it were true.
NATO Expansion
In January 2022, Hawley asked President Biden to stop supporting Ukraine's plan to join NATO. He argued that defending Ukraine would weaken the U.S.'s ability to deal with China. On August 3, 2022, he was the only senator to vote against Sweden and Finland joining NATO. He said China was a greater threat than Russia.
Saudi Arabia
During a 2018 debate, Hawley and McCaskill agreed that if Saudi Arabia was behind the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi, the U.S. should respond strongly. After an attack in Saudi Arabia in 2019, Hawley said the U.S. should not attack anyone for Saudi Arabia's interests. He said the U.S. should focus on its own security.
Ukraine
In October 2019, Hawley called for an investigation into Joe Biden regarding Ukraine. He defended Donald Trump's phone call with Ukraine's president. He criticized Trump's first impeachment, saying Trump's words were "certainly not a crime."
During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Hawley was one of 11 Republican senators to vote against a $40 billion aid package for Ukraine. He wrote that the bill "is not in America's interests."
Venezuela
On April 3, 2019, Hawley supported a bill to recognize Juan Guaidó as the president of Venezuela. The bill would provide aid to Venezuela and its neighbors. It would also remove sanctions on some Venezuelan officials.
Gun Policy
Hawley has a high rating from the National Rifle Association (NRA). He does not support a ban on assault weapons. However, he supports some gun control measures. These include stronger background checks and banning bump stocks. He also supports preventing mentally ill people from having guns.
Health Care
Hawley has criticized the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). As Attorney General of Missouri, he joined a lawsuit to declare it unconstitutional. He said the act "was never constitutional." His 2018 Senate campaign stated he supported protections for people with existing health conditions. He later suggested using taxpayer money to help insurance companies cover these patients.
Immigration
Hawley supports building a wall along the southern border to stop illegal immigration. He supported the Trump administration's policy of separating families at the border. He said it was "an entirely preventable tragedy."
Labor
In his 2018 Senate campaign, Hawley did not take a firm stance on "right-to-work" laws. These laws can make it harder for labor unions to organize. His spokesperson said that "nobody should be forced to pay union dues." In 2023, Hawley joined United Auto Workers on a picket line. He said the workers deserved a raise.
In 2018, Hawley opposed raising the minimum wage in Missouri. In 2021, he supported a $15 minimum wage for large businesses. He also supported a tax credit for lower-wage workers.
LGBT Rights
In December 2015, Hawley supported allowing Missouri businesses and religious groups to refuse to participate in same-sex marriage ceremonies. In June 2020, the Supreme Court ruled against workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Hawley criticized this decision.
In May 2022, Hawley said he would be "shocked" if the Supreme Court decision allowing same-sex marriage was overturned. He called it "settled law." However, he stated his opposition to the decision. Hawley opposed and voted against the 2022 Respect for Marriage Act. This act ensures that legal same-sex and interracial marriages are recognized nationwide.
Hawley has been accused of transphobia due to his comments about transgender people. He co-sponsored a 2021 bill to limit transgender women in sports. He also signed a letter against Title IX protections for transgender students.
Trade and Tariffs
Hawley supported Trump's use of trade tariffs. He hoped these tariffs would lead to lower tariffs on U.S. agriculture. In September 2018, he fully supported Trump's trade actions. He said, "It's a trade war that China started. If we're in a war, I want to be winning it."
On May 5, 2020, Hawley wrote an article suggesting the World Trade Organization should be abolished. He argued it did not help American interests and allowed China to grow stronger. He later introduced a plan for the U.S. to leave the WTO.
Donald Trump
Hawley is seen as a loyal supporter of Donald Trump. He voted to clear Trump during his first impeachment trial. He said Democrats had misused the Constitution. After Trump was cleared, Trump praised Hawley's role.
During Trump's second impeachment trial, Hawley was in the Senate gallery. He was seen with his feet up, reviewing papers. He called the proceedings "a total kangaroo trial."
U.S. Supreme Court Nominations
Hawley's first campaign ad in 2018 focused on Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, which he supported. On October 27, 2020, Hawley voted to confirm Amy Coney Barrett. Hawley strongly criticized Ketanji Brown Jackson's 2022 nomination to the Supreme Court.
Supreme Court Shortlist
On September 9, 2020, Trump announced that Hawley was on his list of possible nominees for the Supreme Court. Hawley thanked him but declined the offer. He said Missourians elected him to fight for them in the Senate. After Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away, Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett.
Personal Life
In 2010, Hawley married Erin Morrow. She is also a lawyer and a law professor. They have three children.
After becoming Attorney General, Hawley rented an apartment in Jefferson City, the state capital. His family continued to live in Columbia, Missouri. After he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2019, the Hawleys bought a house in Vienna, Virginia. Hawley's voter registration uses his sister's address in Ozark, Missouri.
Hawley was raised Methodist. He and his family now attend an Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
Images for kids
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Hawley in Jackson in August 2018
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AFGE members protested against Hawley on January 12, 2021
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A lawn sign put up in Clayton in protest of Hawley on January 16, 2021
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Hawley speaking with Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan in 2019
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Hawley meets with members of the 139th Airlift Wing of the Missouri Air National Guard in April 2019
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See also
In Spanish: Josh Hawley para niños
