Johnson's Top Aide Arrested After Trump's Speech

House Speaker Mike Johnson's chief of staff was arrested Tuesday night after President Trump's address to Congress and charged with driving under the influence. Hayden Haynes was cited and released to appear in court after backing into a parked vehicle at the Capitol shortly before midnight, NBC News reports. Trump had finished speaking about 45 minutes earlier, per Politico. Johnson, who sat behind Trump in the House chamber, told reporters on Wednesday that Haynes is "trusted and respected, and he has my full faith and confidence to lead."

Hayden Haynes, 35, worked for other politicians in Louisiana before joining Johnson's staff in 2017, according to his LinkedIn page. "The Speaker has known and worked closely with Hayden for nearly a decade and trusted him to serve as his Chief of Staff for his entire tenure in Congress," a statement from Johnson's office said. The DC attorney general's office handles drunken driving cases in Washington, per the Washington Post, which means Trump administration officials won't be involved in Haynes' prosecution. Capitol Police said release after such an arrest is standard procedure. (More Mike Johnson stories.)