House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday removed the Republican chairman of the powerful House Intelligence Committee, who was a vocal supporter of assistance for Ukraine and held other views that put him at odds with President-elect Donald Trump.
Johnson told reporters late Wednesday that Representative Mike Turner, an Ohio Republican, would no longer lead the committee, which oversees the nation's intelligence agencies and holds tremendous influence over law enforcement and foreign policy. Johnson last year also gave two Trump allies highly sought spots on the panel.
Johnson said he made the decision to remove Turner because the "intelligence community and everything related to (the committee) needs a fresh start."
The Republican speaker, who has aligned himself closely with Trump, said he would soon announce the new chairperson for the committee.
Johnson went on to praise Turner and say he would play an important role in working with NATO.
Turner's stances on foreign policy had run afoul of the incoming president, who will take the White House next week with a vision of reshaping the federal government's intelligence and law enforcement capabilities.
Turner last year also pushed back on Trump's false claims that Haitian migrants in his Ohio district were eating pets.
His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
