Right-wing Republican files bid to oust McCarthy

A US congressman has launched a bid to remove House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Matt Gaetz, a right-wing lawmaker from Florida, filed his motion late on Monday to oust the Republican leader in the lower chamber of Congress.

Tensions between the two Republicans boiled over at the weekend after the Speaker passed a bill with the help of Democrats to fund government agencies.

The leadership has two days to bring the motion up for a vote.

Responding to Mr Gaetz's motion to vacate, Mr McCarthy posted online: "Bring it on."

The deal that averted a government shutdown left out additional money for Ukraine because Mr Gaetz and other ultraconservatives insist the US is spending too much funding the country's war with Russia.

Mr McCarthy only became Speaker in January after 15 rounds of voting when he was able to win over a key group of right-wing Republicans.

Mr Gaetz was one of the Republicans who repeatedly voted against Mr McCarthy - and even until the end the Florida lawmaker abstained from voting along with five others.

In a speech on the House floor, Mr Gaetz said Mr McCarthy must disclose the details of a deal he made with the White House to bring new Ukraine funding to a vote in separate legislation soon.

Mr Gaetz had already threatened to file the motion in recent weeks, saying he would do so if a short-term government spending bill was passed with help from Democrats.

"It is becoming increasingly clear who the speaker of the House already works for and it's not the Republican Conference," Mr Gaetz said in a speech, before filing the resolution on Monday.

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