In a historic turn of events, a faction of Republicans in the US House of Representatives voted to remove Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his position on Tuesday. This unprecedented move marks the first time in history that a Republican speaker has been ousted in such a manner.
The internal party dispute has added to the chaos in Congress, coming shortly after narrowly averting a government shutdown. The vote, which resulted in a count of 216 to 210, stands as a watershed moment as it signifies the first-ever removal of a House leader.
Eight Republicans joined forces with 208 Democrats in voting to oust McCarthy. Leading this rebellion was Representative Matt Gaetz, a far-right Republican from Florida, who had clashed with McCarthy and accused him of not doing enough to reduce federal spending.
This development is the latest in a series of intense political tensions in a year where the Republican-led House has pushed Washington to the brink of a potential default and a partial government shutdown.
With a slim majority of 221-212, Republicans maintain control of the chamber, leaving little margin for error, as they can only afford to lose a maximum of five votes if Democrats remain unified in their opposition.