The Blubber

Hawley Calls for Special Watchdog to Track U.S. Spending in Ukraine

With federal spending and foreign aid under scrutiny, Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley says it’s time for a dedicated watchdog to account for the billions the U.S. has sent to Ukraine.

"I want to know where Missourians’ money has gone in this conflict in Ukraine," Hawley told The Heartlander in an exclusive interview Wednesday. "I want to know every dime of it— and anything we commit in any kind of peace negotiation with Russia and Ukraine."

Hawley made his stance clear:

"I don’t want to spend any more money on this. Zero. We’ve already spent too much. But we need to know where every penny goes, where every weapon has gone. We need a full accounting."

Bill Calls for a Solely Focused Ukraine Watchdog

As of September, the Special Inspector General for Operation Atlantic Resolve—which oversees U.S. military aid to Ukraine—estimated that the U.S. had spent $183 billion. Hawley suggested that the actual figure may now be closer to $200 billion.

On Tuesday, he announced a bill to create a financial watchdog with the sole mission of auditing every dollar spent on Ukraine and reporting findings directly to the American people.

Why Not Use the Current Watchdog?

Hawley argued that the existing Special Inspector General isn’t equipped to properly audit U.S. spending in Ukraine.

"Well, because No. 1, this person is not solely focused on Ukraine," he explained. "This person also is supposed to be doing investigations into multiple other parts of the Defense Department."

He also criticized the current oversight process, arguing it hasn’t been directed to look for waste, fraud, or abuse.

"If you look at the reports, you’ll find that they don’t identify any waste or fraud—because they weren’t told to go find any waste or fraud."

With continued debate over U.S. aid to Ukraine, Hawley’s push for greater transparency adds to the growing calls for oversight of foreign spending.