Hawley Renews Call for Inspector General for Ukraine Aid

Sen. Josh Hawley reintroduced legislation Thursday to assign a special inspector general to investigate U.S. funding for Ukraine, amid increased Republican criticism of past dealings with the Eastern European nation.

“American taxpayers shouldn’t have to wonder where their billions in aid to Ukraine went and what they’re funding there now. They deserve an accounting of every penny Congress shipped over there,” said Hawley, R-Mo., in a press statement on his Inspector General for Ukraine Act.

“Let’s stand with President Trump to get peace in Ukraine and respect the American taxpayer again.”

The bill calls for a newly appointed inspector general to submit quarterly reports on U.S. government aid and payments to Ukraine, and on Ukraine’s compliance with what he called “anti-corruption measures.”

Hawley first introduced the bill in March of 2023, long before President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20 and began peace negotiations with Russia, but the reintroduction coincides with Trump’s increasingly critical view of the Ukrainian government.

“A modestly successful comedian, [Ukrainian President] Volodymyr Zelenskyy, talked the United Sates of America into spending $350 billion … to go into a war that couldn’t be won,” wrote Trump on social media, as he proceeded to accuse Zelenskyy of wanting “to keep the ‘gravy train’ going.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also stated that he was “personally very upset” over Zelenskyy’s stubbornness in negotiations with the United States, as well as the Ukrainian’s criticism of Trump.

“There should be some level of gratitude about [American assistance], and when you don’t see it, and when you see him out there accusing the president of living in a world of disinformation, that’s highly, very counterproductive,” Rubio said.