A ban on stock trading by Congress, the president, and vice president advanced in the Senate on Wednesday with Josh Hawley (Mo.) as the lone Republican in favor. The committee vote blindsided other Republicans, and President Trump, who was reportedly facing the divestiture of his assets before the bill was tweaked.

Senator Hawley's original bill was called the PELOSI Act, a reference to former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca.), whose stock investments have long fueled calls for regulation over suspicions of insider trading.

Stock ban advances

When asked about it Wednesday, Trump said he likes the concept of a stock ban, but said he needs to see more details.

"I don't know about it, but I like it conceptually and, you know, Nancy Pelosi became rich by having inside information. She made a fortune with her husband. And I think that's disgraceful. So in that sense, I'd like it, but I'd have to really see. I'd have, you know — I study these things very carefully, and this just happened. So I'll take a look at it. But conceptually, I like it."

The bill was significantly altered during the committee markup process, which faced criticism from Hawley's fellow Republicans. Hawley voted with every Democrat on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to push the legislation forward.

A source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital that Hawley kept Republicans in the dark on the negotiations. While initially limited to members of Congress, the bill was expanded to include the president and vice president.

A requirement to divest before 2027 was ultimately pushed back until an elected official's next term, which, since Trump is term-limited, would make him exempt.

Trump sounds off

As the bill moved through committee, Trump voiced his objections on his social media platform Truth Social, calling Hawley a "second-tier" senator and a "pawn," citing his vote with Democrats against a report on Pelosi's stock trades.

"I wonder why Hawley would pass a Bill that Nancy Pelosi is in absolute love with — He is playing right into the dirty hands of the Democrats,” Trump wrote.

“I don’t think real Republicans want to see their President, who has had unprecedented success, TARGETED, because of the ‘whims’ of a second-tier Senator named Josh Hawley!”

Later, Hawley chalked up Trump's criticism to a misunderstanding and denied receiving pressure from the White House to make changes.

Pelosi has long denied insider trading, saying all her investments are controlled by her husband, venture capitalist Paul Pelosi. While she has defended the right of lawmakers to trade in the past, she says she supports Hawley's bill, which was renamed the HONEST Act.

Some of Hawley's fellow Republicans accused him of demonizing the wealthy, to which he responded: "I don't mind anyone being rich. I mind people getting rich while they’re here and trading stocks."