Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas announced Sunday he will not seek re-election when his current term ends in 2026. This closes a chapter on a more than 20-year career in Congress that has largely focused on national security, foreign affairs and international diplomacy.
“It’s been an honor to serve in the Congress for over two decades,” McCaul said in an interview with ABC News, where he confirmed his decision not to run again. “I’m looking for a new challenge in the same space that would be national security policy.”
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McCaul, 63, was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2004 and has long been one of the Republican Party’s leading voices on foreign policy. He currently chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, a position that has placed him at the center of key legislative debates over the United States’ support for Ukraine, tensions with China and the future of NATO.
Focus on Foreign Affairs and National Security
McCaul used his committee platform to speak forcefully on the threats posed by authoritarian regimes, particularly Russia and China. In a recent appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” he voiced concerns over rising tensions in Eastern Europe and warned about the risks of escalation as the war in Ukraine drags on.
“What I’m concerned about is that the escalation here and the temperature rising — we’ve got to be very careful not to be on the precipice of a World War III,” McCaul told co-anchor Martha Raddatz.
The Texas Republican has often taken a harder line on Russia than some in his party, especially regarding President Donald Trump’s posture toward Russian President Vladimir Putin. McCaul suggested Trump may now be reconsidering his earlier views on the Kremlin.
“Putin is a KGB agent. I think he’s manipulating the president as a KGB officer would,” McCaul said. “The more Putin irritates the president, I think the better we are in terms of defending NATO and Ukraine.”
A Legacy of Service and Leadership
Before chairing the House Foreign Affairs Committee, McCaul served as chair of the House of Representatives’ Homeland Security Committee. Throughout his tenure, he was known as a defense hawk with bipartisan relationships and a focus on cybersecurity, counterterrorism and military readiness.
McCaul represents Texas’ 10th Congressional District, which includes parts of Austin, Houston and several central Texas counties. A former federal prosecutor, he has held his seat through 11 consecutive terms and has not faced serious opposition in recent elections.
“I still want to serve my country,” McCaul said. “But I think there are other ways to do that outside the institution of Congress.”
