Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas), a longtime ally of President Donald Trump, announced plans to leave Congress after the legislative session in a Saturday post on X.
His relationship with the president, whom Nehls has pushed to honor with a spot on the $100 bill, was highlighted.
“Before making this decision, I called President Trump personally to let him know of my plans,” Nehls wrote. “President Trump has always been a strong ally for our district and a true friend, and I wanted him to hear it from me first.”
The three-term lawmaker was first elected to the House after a hard-fought primary victory in 2020. He now serves as chair of the House Aviation Subcommittee and has emerged as a helpful figure in Trump’s immigration agenda. Nehls’ REMOVE Act, which aims to remove legal barriers to deportation for undocumented residents, passed through the House Judiciary Committee in mid-November.
He’s also faced controversy in Congress. In June 2024, Nehls stopped wearing a pin for infantrymen or Special Forces who took part in active military combat amid allegations from GOP colleagues of “stolen valor.” In August of that year, he was sued by a former employee who accused Nehls of discriminating against him for his sexuality.
Nehls’ retirement is the culmination of a decades-long career in public service, which started in the U.S. Army Reserve and continued when he served two terms as the county sheriff in Texas' Fort Bend County, before later running for Congress.
“Serving this country in the military, serving our community in law enforcement, and serving this district in Congress has been the honor of my life,” he wrote. “Thank you for your trust, your friendship, and your prayers.”
Later on Saturday, Trever Nehls, the lawmaker's brother, announced on Facebook that he was running for the open seat.
"District 22 needs a Representative who will follow in Troy’s footsteps and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with President Trump to defend our conservative values, secure the border, protect our families, and oppose the reckless and radical agenda that Democrats continue to press upon the American people," he wrote. "I’m ready to take up that fight."
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