US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted from the job on Tuesday night by members of his own party in a historic first.
Mr McCarthy was forced out as speaker by a contingent of right-wing Republicans after successfully leading a bipartisan effort to avoid a government shutdown over the weekend.
It marks the first time in US history that a speaker of the House has been removed from office, plunging the House and its Republican leadership into chaos.
Speaking after the vote, which he lost by 216 to 210, the California Republican said he would not seek the office again.
“I may have lost this vote today, but as I walk out of this chamber I feel fortunate to have served,” he said at a Capitol press conference.
Action is now halted in the House until the Republicans, who have a narrow majority in the chamber, can agree on a speaker.
Mr McCarthy’s ousting was led by Florida Republican Matt Gaetz, who filed a motion to vacate the chair.
During the vote, eight hard-right Republicans joined 208 Democrats in supporting McCarthy’s removal, as 210 Republicans tried and failed to keep the speaker in place, amid gasps in the chamber.
Representative Patrick McHenry, an ally of McCarthy, was named as the temporary speaker until a new vote takes place.
Mr Gaetz had criticised the debt deal Mr McCarthy made with President Joe Biden and the vote to prevent a government shutdown.
The right-wing conservatives had opposed it as they wanted steeper spending cuts.
Some senior Republicans condemned Mr McCarthy’s removal, with former vice-president and current presidential candidate Mike Pence suggesting it would undermine his party in the eyes of voters.
“Chaos is never America’s strength and it’s never a friend of American families that are struggling,” he told an event in Georgetown.
Speaking after his removal, Mr McCarthy dismissed the eight Republicans who orchestrated his removal, saying: “This country is too great for small visions of those eight.”