The chief of staff to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was arrested on Tuesday night on suspicion of driving under the influence after crashing into a parked police vehicle following President Donald Trump’s address to Congress at the U.S. Capitol.
Hayden Haynes was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence and later released.
U.S. Capitol Police said in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times that Haynes had “backed into a parked vehicle” at around 11:40 p.m.
Officers responded to the scene and the driver was arrested, the statement said.
Police did not specify the exact location at which the incident occurred.
Johnson, who had presided over the House floor during Trump’s Tuesday night speech, told reporters that he’s known Haynes for more than a decade and said he’s “trusted and respected, and he has my full faith and confidence to lead.”
Haynes, a longtime trusted aide to Johnson, has served as the speaker’s chief of staff since Johnson took on the role in October 2023, according to his LinkedIn page.
Before that, Haynes worked as chief of staff to Johnson in his personal office from 2017 to 2023. He also worked as the executive director for the House Conservatives Fund PAC from 2019 to 2020, and as a grassroots coordinator for the campaign of former Sen. David Vitter, another Louisiana Republican, in 2015.
Additionally, Haynes served as a grassroots campaign manager for former Louisiana Republican Sen. Sherri Smith Cheek in 2011.
When contacted for comment, Johnson spokesperson Taylor Haulsee referred The Epoch Times to a statement provided to NBC News.
The statement said the House Speaker is “aware of the encounter that occurred last night involving his Chief of Staff and the Capitol Police.”
“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,” Haulsee’s statement continued. “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.”
During his address to Congress on Tuesday, Trump touched on a number of topics including immigration, trade tariffs, planned tax cuts, and more as he capped off his first six weeks in office.
