A congressman’s son hogged the spotlight in the US House of Representatives while his father was giving a speech.

Those who had tuned in to the United States’ political network C-Span on Monday witnessed representative John Rose’s son grinning from ear to ear and pulling faces behind his father’s back as he addressed the chamber.

The Tennessee Republican was taking part in a fairly dry legislative day filled with naming new post offices and other routine measures.

But the boy sitting behind him livened up proceedings as he looked directly into the cameras, with a wide grin on his face.

John Rose speaking on the floor of the House of Representatives as his son Guy makes a face
Guy Rose, right, upstaged his father in the House of Representatives (House Television via AP)

He got bored for a bit and appeared to lose his train of thought. But not for long. Out came the tongue. Then came the rolling of the eyes and a shaking of the head, making clear to the world that he was less than impressed with the stodgy decorum of the House of Representatives.

And then came the hand motions, a sign language of silliness that might have seen him sent to the headteacher’s office if he were in school.

Before long, young Guy Rose was a social media star and a new meme – aged just six. The youngster just graduated from kindergarten last week and is with the congressman for the week. Mr Rose’s youngest son, Sam, three, and his wife, Chelsea, are back in Tennessee.

“He knows something,” Doug Andres, the spokesman for Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell, tweeted on X with a caption of the young Rose holding his hands in a triangle motion in front of his face.

“So sorry I was slow responding to your email, I was tied up watching this over and over again,” tweeted Aaron Fritschner, the communications director for representative Don Beyer.

All the while, an unsuspecting Mr Rose continued on with a speech – a serious effort decrying last week’s conviction of former US president Donald Trump in a New York courtroom.

“As an attorney, I can tell you that May 30th will be among the more infamous dates in American history,” he said at one point.

After the speech, as the reviews poured in, the congressman did not appear perturbed. And he graciously took some responsibility.

“This is what I get for telling my son Guy to smile at the camera for his little brother,” Mr Rose tweeted.