Rep. Michael McCaul, a Republican from Texas and a longtime figure on Capitol Hill, said he will not run for re-election in 2026 and will serve the remainder of his current term before pursuing a new challenge in 2027.
McCaul made the announcement during an appearance on ABC's "This Week" and reiterated the decision in social media posts, saying it had been "the honor of a lifetime" to represent central Texas and to chair the House Homeland Security and Foreign Affairs committees. He said his father's World War II service inspired his focus on defending the nation and that he intends to continue work in the national security and foreign policy realm after leaving Congress.
McCaul has served in the U.S. House since winning his first election in 2004 and taking office in 2005. During his more than two decades in Congress, he led high-profile oversight and policy efforts on homeland security, counterterrorism and foreign affairs. He chaired the House Committee on Homeland Security and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs at different times, presiding over hearings on topics that included the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and Russian actions in Ukraine.
The congressman has been an outspoken critic of Russian operations in Ukraine and has pressed for accountability over the reported mass abductions of Ukrainian children. He has also weighed in on immigration enforcement, urging the Trump administration to prioritize detaining "aggravated felons" among illegal border crossers. McCaul's tenure has included moments of controversy: in 2024, he was briefly detained by police at an airport after officers said he appeared intoxicated.
Republicans on Capitol Hill responded to the announcement with praise for his service. Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska called McCaul "a great Congressman, a great American and a great friend." The decision opens an expected competitive race for the central Texas seat and removes a senior GOP voice from House leadership and committee deliberations ahead of the 2026 cycle.
McCaul said he will continue to carry out his duties for the remainder of the term. His departure will reduce the number of long-tenured Republicans in the House and could prompt internal changes in committee assignments and leadership as members prepare for the next Congress. He provided no public timetable for a specific post-congressional role but emphasized his intent to remain engaged in national security and foreign policy work after 2026.