[News Terms] The 'Freedom Caucus' That Shook the US Congress

US Power No. 3, Speaker of the House Ousted in Leadership Move

Matt Gaetz, the congressman who led the effort to remove Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, is a member of the Freedom Caucus, a hardline faction within the U.S. Republican Party.

Matt Gaetz, a member of the 'Freedom Caucus,' a group of hardline Republicans in the United States, is explaining the motion to remove the Speaker of the House on the 2nd (local time) in Washington DC. [Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

This group was formed in 2015 by nine Tea Party-affiliated lawmakers with a strong conservative stance, aiming to represent traditional conservative positions such as tax cuts, tough measures against illegal immigration, and smaller government. Although the Freedom Caucus does not disclose its membership list, it is known to include about 20 members, including former chairman Andy Biggs. Most are hardline lawmakers who support former President Donald Trump, adding clarity to the conservative stance and leading the Republican Party’s “rightward shift.” Matt Salmon, who attended the founding meeting, recently mentioned in an interview with the Christian Science Monitor the need for a group to leverage the collective influence of right-wingers, seeking to expand their power.

Despite being a minority, they have wielded significant influence over budget bills and the election of the House Speaker by exploiting the narrow seat difference between the Republican and Democratic parties. The unprecedented removal of the House Speaker on the 3rd (local time) was largely due to this seat structure. In the full House vote that day, only 8 out of 218 Republicans who participated voted in favor of the removal. However, with all Democrats voting in favor, the motion to remove the Speaker was swiftly passed.

The Freedom Caucus also opposed Speaker McCarthy earlier this year, delaying the election of the House Speaker. McCarthy, a pro-Trump figure who supported former President Donald Trump since the 2016 Republican presidential primaries, reportedly distanced himself from Trump following the 2020 Capitol riot, leading to a strained relationship with the Freedom Caucus.

With the seat structure confirmed that allows the removal of the House Speaker due to the rebellion of the Freedom Caucus, it is expected that the election of the next Speaker and future negotiations between the parties will become more difficult. There is also analysis suggesting that political polarization in the U.S. is intensifying, increasing the likelihood of the Freedom Caucus expanding further.

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