WASHINGTON — Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., one of former President Donald Trump's most loyal defenders, is leaving Congress to become CEO of the Trump Media and Technology Group, NBC News confirmed Monday.
"Congressman Devin Nunes is a fighter and a leader. He will make an excellent CEO of TMTG," Trump said in a statement released by the company. "Devin understands that we must stop the liberal media and Big Tech from destroying the freedoms that make America great. America is ready for TRUTH Social and the end to censorship and political discrimination.”
The San Joaquin Valley Sun previously reported that Nunes was not seeking re-election.
Nunes, who is in his 10th term representing a district in California's Central Valley, was chairman of the Intelligence Committee for four years until Democrats took control of the House after the 2018 midterm elections. From that post, he staunchly defended Trump against allegations that Trump conspired with Russia to win the Oval Office.
"As the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, with the entire weight of the legacy media and Washington establishment bearing down on him, Devin stood by his convictions on behalf of his constituents and hardworking Americans across the country," House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said in a statement Monday. "And every step of the way, Devin was proven right. There is no better person prepared to compete head-to-head and lead an alternative to the big tech and big media cartel that has carried water for the Democrat Party for years than Devin."
Nunes, 48, a senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, was a contender to lead the powerful tax-writing panel beginning in 2023 if Republicans were to win back the House in the midterm elections.
He is heading for the Capitol exit despite optimism among Republicans, based on historical trends and the GOP's gains in elections in Virginia and New Jersey last month, that they will take control of the House when voters go to the polls in November.
His political fortunes came into doubt after the state's independent redistricting commission released draft maps last month that would have jeopardized his re-election chances.
Once an advocate for temperance within his party, Nunes developed a reputation as one of Trump's most pugilistic allies on Capitol Hill. When he wasn't fighting Democratic lawmakers, Nunes tackled his Twitter critics and national media outlets — including NBC Universal — in a string of lawsuits, some of which are still pending.
