Rep. Devin Nunes (R-California) announced Monday that he is leaving Congress in the coming weeks to become the CEO of former President Donald Trump’s new Trump Media & Technology Group.
“I’m writing to let you know I’ve decided to pursue this opportunity, and therefore I will be leaving the House of Representatives at the end of 2021,” Nunes said in a letter to his constituents.
“Congressman Devin Nunes is a fighter and a leader,” Trump said in a statement announcing Nunes’ new job, which will begin in January. “He will make an excellent CEO of TMTG. 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.”
Nunes was a close ally and defender of Trump during his administration. As chairman of the House Intelligence Committee when Republicans were in the majority, he sought to discredit the FBI’s Russian investigation and the work of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Last January, Trump awarded Nunes the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Nunes, who has represented California’s 22nd district since 2003, faced a stiffer challenge in next year’s midterm elections due to more Democratic-leaning redistricting, CNN reported.
TMTG’s announcement came hours after the company disclosed that the Securities and Exchange Commission had launched an inquiry into the special purpose acquisition company — or SPAC — that plans to merge with Trump’s company to take it public.
On Saturday, the company announced it had raised $1 billion in funding from an undisclosed group of investors to launch a multifaceted media company including a social media network called Truth.
Shares of Digital World Acquisition Corp. (DWAC) were up nearly 7% in after-hours trading following the news about Nunes’ appointment.
