In a historic move, Speaker Kevin McCarthy was removed from his position by a vote initiated by Rep. Matt Gaetz. McCarthy's decision to cooperate with Democrats to prevent a government shutdown drew backlash from some Republicans. The vote concluded with 216 in favor of removal and 210 against. Rep. Patrick McHenry assumed the role of interim speaker. The removal leaves House Republicans in disarray, and there is no clear successor at the moment.
In an unprecedented turn of events, Speaker
Kevin McCarthy was ousted from his position in an extraordinary showdown, marking the first such removal in US congressional history and second shortest ever tenure for a speaker in the country's history.
The motion to remove
McCarthy was initiated by his chief rival, Rep.
Matt Gaetz of Florida, who forced the vote. Gaetz garnered support from conservative Republican critics of the speaker and many Democrats who believed McCarthy was unfit for leadership.
The pivotal moment came when the vote concluded, with 216 in favor of removal and 210 against. The speaker's office was declared vacant, and Rep.
Patrick McHenry , R-N.C., a top ally of McCarthy, assumed the role of interim speaker, following House rules, until a new speaker is chosen.
This turn of events stemmed from McCarthy's recent decision to cooperate with Democrats to prevent a government shutdown, rather than risk a shutdown, which drew backlash from some within his party, CNN reported.
Despite the fiery debate surrounding McCarthy's fate,several McCarthy supporters, including Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, voiced their support.
The situation drew attention from former President
Trump , who expressed frustration over Republican infighting, while some McCarthy allies urged unity within the party. Democrats, on the other hand, rallied around the idea that McCarthy could not be trusted, as reported by CNN.
Following the ousting of McCarthy, Republicans members of the bipartisan problem solvers caucus are contemplating a collective departure from the group, CNN reported.
The removal of the speaker leaves House Republicans in disarray as they seek a new leader, and the path forward remains uncertain. McCarthy's initial journey to the speaker's position took 15 rounds of voting in January, and at present, there is no clear successor in the GOP ranks.