House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul Was ‘Briefly Detained’ at Airport, Charged with Being Drunk

Mar. 15, 2025

Michael McCaul overseeing a hearing on September 24, 2024.Photo:SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty

SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty

House Foreign Affairs Committee chair Michael McCaul was “briefly detained” at an airport in Virginia earlier this month and charged with being drunk.

According to theAssociated Press,NBC NewsandSemafor, citing a spokesperson for the Republican representative, McCaul became “disoriented” after takingAmbien, a sleep aid, and drinking alcohol before getting on a Nov. 4 flight back to Texas from Dulles International Airport due to being a “nervous flyer.”

The outlets report that after the incident caused him to miss his flight and lock himself out of his phone, McCaul had an encounter with police, who detained him, thinking he needed help.

Michael McCaul.Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty

He was later released on a summons to a third-party driver. UnderVirginia law, the charge is classified as a Class 4 misdemeanor.

“I missed a flight to Texas and found myself disoriented in the airport,” he said. “This was the result of a poor decision I made to mix an Ambien—which I took in order to sleep on the upcoming flight—with some alcohol.”

“Law enforcement officers briefly detained me while I waited for a family member to pick me up. I have nothing but respect and gratitude for the officers who intercepted me that evening,” his statement continued.

“This incident does not reflect who I am and who I strive to be. As a human, I am not perfect,” his statement added. “But I am determined to learn from this mistake and, God-willing, make myself a better person.” PEOPLE reached out to a representative for McCaul but did not immediately hear back.

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Earlier this month, McCaul was reelected torepresent Texas' 10th District, which stretches from Austin to Houston, in the U.S. House of Representatives. It will be his 11th term in Congress. He was made chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee in 2023.

source: people.com