Surprising former colleagues, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) has come out as one of former President Donald Trump‘s staunchest supporters in recent months. After objecting to the certification of the electoral college even after the deadly Capitol insurrection, Hawley has painted himself as a diehard Trump loyalist.
The freshman senator spent the first two days of Trump’s impeachment trial with his feet propped up on the chair in front of him, crossing his legs and pretending to be engrossed in documents in a manila folder.
Hawley also chose to sit in the senate gallery, instead of at his seat on the floor. Hawley explained his choice to sit by himself in various ways. “The gallery is — I feel had a little bit better view,” he told NBC News. “Where I sit over in the Senate chamber is kind of in the corner. So, here you can sit head on. I can also space out a little bit more and it’s just not quite as crowded.”
Hawley gave a different statement to Fox News, saying, “It’s a better viewpoint because I can look right at the impeachment managers and see them in the face. When I’m sitting in the chamber, I kinda look at the back of their head.”
Hawley’s theatrics in the Senate Chamber are likely related to his interest in a 2024 presidential run. By flagrantly disregarding the proceedings, including a chilling video that showed Capitol rioters being encouraged by Trump, Hawley appears to be trying to attract Trump voters looking for a new, young leader to tout the ex president’s baseless conspiracy theories.
