Yahoo Finance Rep. Devin Nunes Retiring from Congress to Become CEO of Trump Media Group
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, March 24, 2017. Nunes said Friday that Paul Manafort, the former campaign chairman for President Donald Trump, volunteered to be interviewed by committee members. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Rep. Devin Nunes is retiring from Congress.
On Monday, the Republican Congressman announced he would be stepping down from his elected position as the U.S. Representative for California's 22nd congressional district in order to become the CEO of Trump Media & Technology Group.
"The time has come to reopen the Internet and allow for the free flow of ideas and expression without censorship," Nunes said in a statement released by the media firm.
"The United States of America made the dream of the Internet a reality and it will be an American company that restores the dream. I'm humbled and honored President Trump has asked me to lead the mission and the world class team that will deliver on this promise."
Nunes is the former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. He has represented California's 22nd congressional district since 2003. In 2017, he came under fire over his handling of the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
In a statement of his own on Monday, former President Donald Trump called Nunes "a fighter and a leader" who will make an "excellent" CEO of the newly launched firm.
"Devin understands that we must stop the liberal media and Big Tech from destroying the freedoms that make America great," Trump said. "America is ready for TRUTH Social and the end to censorship and political discrimination."
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Nunes will likely be focusing his efforts as CEO of Trump Media & Technology Group on TRUTH Social — a new social media app Trump says he plans to launch next year.
James Devaney/GC Images Donald Trump
An announcement for the app was posted in October on a website for Trump Media & Technology Group, which says its mission is "to create a rival to the liberal media consortium and fight back against the 'Big Tech' companies of Silicon Valley, which have used their unilateral power to silence opposing voices in America."
Trump — who was banned from Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and a slew of other major social media platforms after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in January — said he hopes the new app will allow him to speak his mind to a large digital audience once again.
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"We live in a world where the Taliban has a huge presence on Twitter, yet your favorite American President has been silenced. This is unacceptable. I am excited to send out my first TRUTH on TRUTH Social very soon," the former president said in the press release. "TMTG was founded with a mission to give a voice to all. I'm excited to soon begin sharing my thoughts on TRUTH Social and to fight back against Big Tech. Everyone asks me why doesn't someone stand up to Big Tech? Well, we will be soon!"
