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Former GOP Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL) dropped out Thursday as President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general.
“I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback – and the incredible support of so many. 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. 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,” Gaetz wrote on X, adding:
I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history. I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I’m certain he will Save America.
Gaetz has long been at the center of allegations related to sexual misconduct with a minor and drug use. The House Ethics Committee was set to release its final report on the allegations, which reportedly included witness testimony that Gaetz paid women for sex. Gaetz resigned from the House following Trump appointing him to be AG, which many observers saw as a move to stop the report from being made public. A vote in the committee on Wednesday deadlocked on releasing the report, which effectively kept it from public view.
Gaetz, who found many enemies in the GOP after he led the charge in 2023 to remove then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), appeared unlikely to win confirmation in the GOP-led Senate. Gaetz’s appointment also led to discussion among the House GOP that enough members would refuse to vote to recess in order for Trump to push him through as a recess appointment, a controversial practice Trump has championed since winning the election.
“President Trump remains committed to choosing a leader for the Department of Justice who will strongly defend the Constitution and end the weaponization of our justice system. President Trump will announce his new decision when it is made,” Karoline Leavitt, Trump-Vance Transition Spokeswoman, told Mediaite.
Trump also posted a statement to Truth Social, “I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. 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. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!”
Diana Falzone contributed to this report.
