House Speaker Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) will not run for reelection this year and retire from Congress after finishing his current term, his office announced Wednesday morning.
"This morning Speaker Ryan shared with his colleagues that this will be his last year as a member of the House," Ryan's counselor, Brendan Buck, said in a statement. "He will serve out his full term, run through the tape, and then retire in January. After nearly twenty years in the House, the speaker is proud of all that has been accomplished and is ready to devote more of his time to being a husband and a father."
"While he did not seek the position, he told his colleagues that serving as speaker has been the professional honor of his life, and he thanked them for the trust they placed in him," Buck added. "He will discuss his decision at a press conference immediately following the member meeting."
Statement from @SpeakerRyan’s office confirming he won’t run for re-election: pic.twitter.com/m677jPOmNu
— Gio Benitez (@GioBenitez) April 11, 2018
Axios first reported that Ryan's confidants said the lawmaker will not run for reelection and tell his staff and the House Republican Conference about his decision later in the morning.
President Donald Trump responded to Ryan's announcement on Twitter, praising the House speaker as a "truly good man."
"Speaker Paul Ryan is a truly good man, and while he will not be seeking re-election, he will leave a legacy of achievement that nobody can question. We are with you Paul!" Trump tweeted.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/984066131303583746
Ryan, who was the vice presidential nominee on the Republican ticket with Mitt Romney in 2012, has served in the House of Representatives since 1999. During his tenure in Congress, he has chaired both the House Budget Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.) and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R., La.) have been floated as two potential successors for the House speaker position if Republicans keep control of the chamber in November.