Historic upheaval: McCarthy ousted in unprecedented move

Political-earthquake in the USA. Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has been ousted with a vote of no confidence – the first time this has happened in American history. The motion was proposed by Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz, a staunch ally of Donald Trump and a member of a parliamentary faction aligned with the tycoon, who decided to confront the Republican leadership to dictate the party’s direction. President Joe Biden has urged the House to “quickly elect a new speaker to address urgent challenges.”

Fatal votes from eight GOP “dissidents”

The vote concluded with 216 in favor and 210 against.

Among the Republican representatives who supported McCarthy’s removal were Andy Biggs, Ken Buck, Tim Burchett, Eli Crane, Matt Gaetz, Bob Good, Nancy Mace, and Matt Rosendale, all representing the ultra-conservative faction of the party.

The political showdown

Gaetz accused McCarthy of breaking promises and collaborating with the opposition, including approving a 1.5-month shutdown delay with Democratic votes. Gaetz claimed McCarthy had a “secret agreement” with Biden to fund Kiev, supported by Republican senators. McCarthy rejected these claims but proceeded with the vote, realizing he lacked support. He must now designate an interim replacement until a new speaker is elected.

McCarthy won’t seek re-election

McCarthy, after the vote of no confidence, announced that he will not seek re-election as House Speaker. “Today, I lost a vote, but I fought for what I believe in, and I believe in America,” said the former Speaker of the U.S. House, emphasizing that he is “not sorry for negotiating” with the Democrats. “I was taught to solve problems, not to create them,” he continued.

McCarthy against the Republicans who ousted him: “They are not conservatives”

McCarthy then pointed a finger at the eight conservative party colleagues who introduced and supported the motion, calling them “not conservatives.” Referring to the recent agreement brokered with the White House for fiscal spending restraint and the one from days ago for the temporary refinancing of federal government activities, McCarthy stated that his detractors within the Republican majority “voted first against one of the largest spending cuts ever voted in the history of Congress, and secondly against work requirements and border security. They can’t claim to be conservatives just because they are angry and chaotic. They are not conservatives, and they have no right to appropriate that title,” he concluded.

Biden: “Elect a new speaker soon”

After the vote, U.S. President Joe Biden urged the House to “quickly” elect a new speaker to address “urgent challenges,” according to a statement from the White House.