House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., removed Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, as chair of the House Intelligence Committee. President-elect Donald Trump backed the move, with The Wall Street Journal reporting that he “directly weighed in on the decision.”

However, shortly after the decision, a reporter asked Johnson if Trump had an opinion on the matter. Johnson responded, “This is not a President Trump decision. This is a House decision, and this is no slight whatsoever to our outgoing chairman. He did a great job.”

Johnson added with a newly sworn-in Congress, “We just need fresh horses in some of these places.” He praised Turner for serving valiantly under difficult circumstances.

People close to Trump told The Journal that Turner often held traditional foreign policy views that clashed with Trump’s “America First” agenda. Turner has been a strong advocate for sending aid to Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia, something the incoming president has been critical of—he instead wants the fighting to end.

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