‘Like Thor’s hammer.’ Watch video of Rep. McHenry’s gavel slam after McCarthy’s ouster
U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina calmly read from his notes Tuesday afternoon as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy — his Republican ally — was ousted from his leadership role.
But he let Congress, and the world, know how he felt about the situation with a slam of the wooden gavel as he adjourned for a recess.
And then, as if the impact of his slam startled him, he gave the gavel a momentary glance before putting it down and turning to exit.
The moment came minutes after the Republican-led House voted to remove McCarthy with a 216-210 vote, the first time that’s happened in congressional history.
McHenry, a Republican from Lincoln County in his 10th term, was named speaker pro tempore. He will act as speaker until a new one is selected.
Videos of the Gavel Slam, as it quickly became known on social media, started going viral with people noting how “furious” he appeared when he went “wham!” with the gavel.
“Patrick McHenry with the angriest gavel slam in history of gavel slams,” someone posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The Messenger called it “the gavel slam heard round the internet.”
The Gateway Pundit summed it up: “Bowtie-Wearing Rep. Patrick McHenry Slam Down the Gavel Like Thor’s Hammer.”
This story was originally published October 3, 2023 at 7:25 PM.