Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) has stepped down from the conservative House Freedom Caucus , weeks after becoming the first Republican member of Congress to publicly support impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump .

Amash, one of the Freedom Caucus founding members, told CNN that hed announced his resignation at the groups weekly board meeting on Monday. He said the meeting had been a positive one.

I have the highest regard for them, and theyre my close friends, Amash said of the Freedom Caucus. I didnt want to be a further distraction for the group.

Amash made waves last month when he tweeted his conviction, based on his reading of special counsel Robert Muellers report , that Trump had engaged in impeachable conduct.

Top GOP leaders, including the president himself , condemned Amash for his views. The House Freedom Caucus also distanced itself from the congressman, with former chairman Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio telling Politico in May that every single member whod attended that weeks meeting disagrees with what he says.

Amash told CNN in March that hes stopped attending most Freedom Caucus meetings following clashes with members over their differing views on Trump.

The congressman has refused to back down from his calls for Trumps impeachment.

Id do it whether it was a Republican president or a Democratic president. It doesnt matter. You elected me to represent all of you, Amash told supporters in Grand Rapids, Michigan , last month. Congress has a duty to keep the president in check . And I think we owe it to the American people to represent them, to ensure that the people we have in office are doing the right thing, are of good character, arent violating the public trust.