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Texas Republican Representative Michael McCaul found himself in an awkward situation—and swiftly apologized—after he was caught on a hot mic quietly telling his colleague, California Republican Representative Darrell Issa, to "Go f**k yourself" during a House Foreign Affairs Committee meeting.
The incident occurred as Issa was questioning retired General Mark Milley regarding the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Issa exceeded his allotted time, leading McCaul to interrupt him.
As Issa attempted to ask another question, McCaul interjected, stating, "The Gentleman’s time is expired." Despite McCaul's attempt to cut him off, Issa continued speaking, expressing his misunderstanding of the time limit.
Issa apologized, saying:
"Oh, I didn’t realize. Thank you."
However, McCaul can be heard continuing to stress that the five-minute time limit is important, prompting Issa to respond:
"I thought I was done! I thought it was the closing act, Chairman."
McCaul, in a hushed tone, then said:
"Go f**k yourself."
You can hear what McCaul said in the two videos below.
While people have no love for Issa, or McCaul for that matter, many saw this as yet another example of the House GOP's dysfunction.
McCaul later apologized for his comments in a statement:
“It was a long day, and I lost my temper. That is uncharacteristic of me and I apologize to Mr Issa, who I consider a friend."
A good-humored Issa later responded to McCaul in a post on X, formerly Twitter, saying he's been called "worse … and by people I don’t like!”
According to a committee aide speaking to The Hill, McCaul's frustration simply stemmed from Issa exceeding his allotted speaking time, as the chair enforced a strict five-minute limit for all members.
The aide suggested McCaul aimed to maintain fairness within the committee by adhering to this time limit and ensuring that every member had an equal opportunity to speak.
The incident bears resemblance to a notable exchange that occurred nearly 20 years ago when then-Vice President Dick Cheney famously told Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy to "Go f**k yourself" on the Senate floor. Leahy had criticized Cheney's ties to Halliburton, a company that received significant contracts in Iraq following the U.S. invasion in 2003.