GOP Lawmaker Sparks Firestorm by Calling Trans Dem 'Mr. McBride,' Abruptly Ends Hearing

In a moment that quickly escalated into a political showdown, Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, abruptly adjourned a congressional hearing on Tuesday after a sharp exchange over his controversial introduction of Rep. Sarah McBride, D-Del., as "the representative from Delaware, Mr. McBride."

McBride, who is the first openly transgender member of Congress, responded with a poised, "Thank you, Madam chair." However, before she could proceed, ranking committee member Rep. Bill Keating, D-Mass., interjected, asking Self to repeat his introduction. What followed was a tense back-and-forth that could have been lifted straight from a political drama series.

Self, chairing the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Europe Subcommittee, doubled down, repeating, "The representative from Delaware Mr. McBride." Keating, visibly angered, called out Self, declaring, "Mr. Chairman, you are out of order. Have you no decency? This is not decent."

Clearly unfazed, Self attempted to move forward with the hearing, but Keating wasn’t having it. "You will not continue it with me unless you introduce a duly-elected representative the right way!" he demanded. What did Self do next? He adjourned the hearing entirely, effectively dropping the political mic.

This isn’t the first time McBride has faced such misgendering on the House floor. Just last month, Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., referred to her as "The gentleman from Delaware, Mr. McBride," during a speech. On Tuesday, Miller doubled down, tweeting her support for Self, claiming, "Tim ‘Sarah’ McBride is a man. Enough with the lies. As God ordained and President Trump declared, there are only TWO GENDERS: Male and Female!"

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., also chimed in on social media, posting, "You know what’s indecent? A mentally ill man pretending to be a woman. Biology. Science. The Left should try it sometime." Her comment was as subtle as a bull in a china shop.

McBride, however, took the high road. In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), she wrote, "No matter how I'm treated by some colleagues, nothing diminishes my awe and gratitude at getting to represent Delaware in Congress. It is truly the honor and privilege of a lifetime. I simply want to serve and to try to make this world a better place."

While the exchange highlighted deep divisions in Congress, it also underscored the challenges transgender lawmakers face in navigating a political landscape often riddled with hostility. Somehow, though, McBride’s grace seems to cut through the noise.