Josh Hawley shuts down HuffPost reporter on Russia-Ukraine war: 'You don't know what you're talking about'

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FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., had a fiery exchange with a liberal journalist who attempted to press him on where he stood on the Russia-Ukraine war. 

In an audio clip obtained by Fox News Digital, HuffPost reporter Jonathan Nicholson confronted Hawley about the arrest warrant issued by Russia against his colleague Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., over comments Graham made in support of Ukraine during his recent visit to the war-torn country. 

"I mean, shouldn't that settle the question about how much and who the U.S. should be supporting - the one side in this war saying it's okay to, you know, try to arrest a U.S. citizen?" Nicholson asked, according to the taped exchange.

"Well, who's advocating supporting Russia?" Hawley countered.

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"There's a lot of - there's a perception," Nicholson said as he was fumbled over his words, "that people who were - the people who were not supportive of Ukraine getting more money-" 

"Are supporting Russia?" Hawley interjected. "Why would that be the case? Who's voted to support Russia or help Russia? Who rhetorically has said Russia is the good actor here?"

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., challenged HuffPost reporter Jonathan Nicholson's line of questioning in a testy exchange obtained by Fox News Digital.   (Joseph A. Wulfsohn/Fox News Digital)

Nicholson doubled down with his assertion that "some people" have interpreted opposition towards giving more money to Ukraine as being supportive of Russia. But Hawley continued grilling the HuffPost reporter.

"You haven't answered my question. Who has said - name me somebody," Hawley told Nicholson. "I'm a lawyer, so make me an argument. Who has said that they support Russia?"

Nicholson replied, "Well, I think my question is about-"

"You can't name anybody. Can you name somebody>" Hawley asked. 

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"Off the top of my head, I'll admit I cannot say - cannot find you [anyone] who said ‘I support Russia,' but there are some people in the caucus, both over here [in the Senate] and in the House, who seem to believe that this is not a high priority to support Ukraine," Nicholson said. 

"Well, it's not higher than China," Hawley shot back. "Listen, we live in a world of tradeoffs. Are you pro-China? I mean, do you want Beijing to - are you okay with the listening post in Cuba? Let's use your logic. Your logic is if you don't make anti-Russia the top priority, you're pro-Russia. My logic would be if you don't make China the top priority, you're pro-China."

Russia issued an arrest warrant for Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. over his recent comments expressing support for Ukraine. ((Photo by Sergei SUPINSKY / AFP) (Photo by SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images))

When pressed on if he supported China, Nicholson replied, "I'm a lowly reporter."

"Well, I'm just asking you. You asked the question and you don't have anything to support it. I'm asking you, is that the right? Should I call everybody who doesn't want to make China the top priority a communist?" Hawley pressed him.

"I think China hasn't threatened to arrest one of your colleagues," Nicholson responded.

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Hawley fired back, "China has threatened to arrest me. They have expelled me from a country. I'm banned in China. I'm sanctioned in China, personally. They've done the same thing to Marco Rubio. China has just set up a listening post off of our coast in Cuba. China is threatening to invade Taiwan. China cracked down on Hong Kong, expelled them. I was there with them in the streets. Are you saying China's a good actor? You think they're better actor than Russia? Do you think they should be our top foreign policy threat?"

"I think there's a question," Nicholson attempted to answer. 

"I think you don't know what you're talking about, frankly," Hawley told the HuffPost report. 

"I appreciate your candor, sir," Nicholson replied with a chuckle. 

Hawley pushed back against HuffPost reporter Jonathan Nicholson, saying he prioritizes China as a bigger threat to the U.S. than Russia. (Mikhail Tereshchenko/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool Photo)

Before parting ways, Hawley told Nicholson, "I'm glad we caught this on tape" before leveling a challenge for the reporter. 

"I look forward to seeing [your article]. If you don't print it, we will absolutely release it. Lovely to talk with you," the senator added. 

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Since their testy exchange Thursday afternoon, Nicholson had not written any articles, according to his author page on HuffPost's website. 

A spokesperson for HuffPost's parent company BuzzFeed told Fox News Digital that "while HuffPost journalists talk to [elected officials] every day, most of those conversations don't end up being published and HuffPost isn't publishing a story based on Jonathan Nicholsons' conversation with Sen. Hawley." Nicholson did not respond to Fox News' request for comment.