The chief of staff to House Speaker Mike Johnson was arrested Tuesday night on suspicion of driving under the influence after crashing into a police vehicle following President Donald Trump’s address to Congress.
Hayden Haynes was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence and later released.
In a statement, U.S. Capitol Police said Haynes had “backed into a parked vehicle” shortly before midnight. Officers responded to the scene and the driver was arrested, the statement said.
“The Speaker is aware of the encounter that occurred last night involving his Chief of Staff and the Capitol Police,” Johnson spokesperson Taylor Haulsee said. “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. Because of this and Hayden’s esteemed reputation among Members and staff alike, the Speaker has full faith and confidence in Hayden’s ability to lead the Speaker’s office.”
Haynes is a longtime, trusted aide to Johnson — a Louisiana Republican — and has served as the speaker’s chief of staff since Johnson took on the role in 2023.
Haynes didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment and it was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
NBC News first reported details of the arrest.
