Matt Gaetz withdraws from consideration to be Trump’s attorney general
Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., has announced that he's withdrawing his name from consideration for United States attorney general under the Trump administration.
In a statement posted to his X account on Thursday afternoon, Gaetz said he had met with members of the U.S. Senate on Wednesday and appreciated their “thoughtful feedback.”
“While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” stated Gaetz.
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“There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I'll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump's DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1,” he added.
Gaetz concluded by saying that he “will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I'm certain he will Save America.”
For his part, President-elect Donald Trump took to his Truth Social account and immediately responded, commending Gaetz’s “recent efforts” and believing that he had a promising future.
“He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect,” Trump said. “Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!”
Earlier this month, Trump had announced that he was going to nominate Gaetz as attorney general, with the decision reportedly creating an “audible gasp” among some Republican lawmakers.
Gaetz, who had helped orchestrate the removal of fellow Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy as House speaker while in Congress, faced several accusations of sexual misconduct.
Gaetz, who has represented Florida's 1st Congressional District since 2016 until he resigned his seat upon his nomination, was weathering an investigation by the House Ethics Committee that had been ongoing since 2021.
Gaetz was accused of attending sex parties, taking illegal drugs and paying a 17-year-old for sex. He has denied any wrongdoing. The vote to release the ethics investigation was reportedly slated to occur shortly before Gaetz resigned, according to The Hill.
In addition to opposition from Democrats and progressive activists, conservative groups and activists like the Liberty Counsel also took issue with his nomination.
"The nomination of Matt Gaetz as Attorney General is shocking and disappointing to those who have followed this man and the lurid scandals and serious allegations of sex parties and drugs during his tenure in the U.S. Congress," said Liberty Counsel President Mat Staver in a statement released last week.
"Gaetz does not want America to know the result of the Ethics investigation. Matt Gaetz has neither the experience nor the moral character to serve as the highest law enforcement officer of the United States of America. Gaetz should do President Trump and all of America a favor and withdraw his name from consideration."
