Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he was detained by police at Dulles International Airport earlier this month.

McCaul said he became “disoriented” at the Washington DC-area airport after mixing alcohol and medication before his scheduled flight to Texas.

The House Republican said he made a “poor decision.”

“Two weekends ago, I made a mistake – one for which I take full responsibility. I missed a flight to Texas and found myself disoriented in the airport. This was the result of a poor decision I made to mix an Ambien – which I took in order to sleep on the upcoming flight – with some alcohol,” McCaul said in a statement, according to the Associated Press. 

“Law enforcement officers briefly detained me while I waited for a family member to pick me up. I have nothing but respect and gratitude for the officers who intercepted me that evening. This incident does not reflect who I am and who I strive to be. As a human, I am not perfect. But I am determined to learn from this mistake and, God-willing, make myself a better person,” he added.

U.S. Rep Michael McCaul, the chair of the powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee, was briefly detained at Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C. on Nov. 4, in an incident he called “the result of a poor decision” to mix Ambien and alcohol. https://t.co/c2wfQ812Xn

— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) November 13, 2024

From the Associated Press:

McCaul was reelected this month to an 11th term in his district that runs from Austin to the Houston suburbs.

Michael McCaul detained at Dulles, acknowledges mistake in mixing alcohol, Ambien https://t.co/0iJYGYdTWM

— The Hill (@thehill) November 14, 2024

Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, told NBC News he recently "made a mistake" mixing Ambien and alcohol ahead of a flight and was "briefly detained" by police.
https://t.co/KiOiMlCvv2

— NBC4 Washington (@nbcwashington) November 14, 2024

Per Semafor:

A McCaul spokesperson confirmed the recent incident, describing the congressman as “a nervous flyer” who took the popular sleep aid Ambien and consumed alcohol before boarding a flight home to Texas.

McCaul ultimately missed that flight, he told Semafor, adding that he was disoriented from the combination of the medication and alcohol, subsequently locking himself out of his cell phone.

He was later found by police, who assumed McCaul was intoxicated and detained him, according to his spokesperson.