There was a heated argument among House Republicans where insults were exchanged and Matt Gaetz was called ‘Tubby’

(Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images)

Tensions escalated in the House Republican conference as one congressman insulted Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) by calling him “tubby,” as per new reports.

NBC News was the first to report on the intense argument. Network congressional correspondent Julie Tsirkin stated that a group of Republicans approached House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) about withholding a financial aid package for Ukraine in the House until aid for Israel is approved in the House and Senate.

Johnson faced backlash in his conference over a package with approximately $100 billion in foreign aid for countries like Ukraine and Israel. Johnson split the aid requests in an attempt to get legislation pushed through the House and Senate, but two members of his conference, Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), have both come out in support of a motion to vacate.

According to initial reports, Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) threatened to bring a motion to vacate to the floor while in a “heated” exchange with Johnson on Thursday. Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Lauren Boebert (R-CO), and others were also present, according to initial reports, but Tsirkin said Van Orden was the one to escalate things with the personal insult. Fellow NBC News reporter Sarah Mimms later confirmed Van Orden got in Johnson’s “face” during the exchange, according to two sources.

However, later reports revealed the insult was directed at Gaetz.

“The insult 'tubby' was directed at Matt Gaetz specifically. He felt like he should call me a squish, and I wanted to remind anyone who has not been in combat and held his friend’s hand as they died, that being shot by the enemy really doesn’t give them the right to insult someone else. In fact, I did call him tubby, and I stand by that,” Van Orden told Axios reporter Juliegrace Brufke.

CNN later confirmed this report of the argument. Van Orden told reporters he joined the group of Republicans to defend Johnson.

Johnson has tried to dismiss concerns about a potential ousting, calling it “absurd.”

UPDATE: The initial version of this story referred to Johnson being called “tubby” based on first reports. The story has been updated to reflect additional reporting.