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Matt Gaetz has withdrawn his name from the list of candidates for US Attorney General, dealing a strong blow to Donald Trump after the president-elect chose this controversial former congressman to run the Justice Department.
Gaetz, one of Trump’s most loyal supporters, said in a speech. post on X on Thursday that his nomination “becomes an unfair distraction from the important work of the Trump/Vance transition.”
“There is no time left to waste in an unnecessary, drawn-out brawl in Washington, so I will withdraw my name from consideration for the position of Attorney General,” Gaetz speak. “Trump’s DoJ must be ready and willing on Day One.”
Trump accepted Gaetz’s decision to withdraw on Thursday but did not immediately announce a new nominee for the top job at the DoJ, one of the most important positions in his incoming cabinet.
The president-elect said he intends to use the justice system to seek “retribution” against individuals he believes have wronged him. Karoline Leavitt, a Trump transition spokeswoman, said Thursday that the president-elect remains “committed” to choosing an attorney general who will “vigorously defend the Constitution and end the gasification of our justice system.”
by Trump Gaetz’s choice – a 42-year-old lawmaker from Florida with limited legal experience –’s run for attorney general last week sent shockwaves through Washington.
Many Republican lawmakers immediately questioned the move, raising questions about whether the progressive from Florida could survive the grueling Senate confirmation process. All cabinet appointees must be approved by a majority of the Senate.
Gaetz, who last week resigned from his congressional seat, had previously been investigated by the DoJ for allegedly having sex with an underage girl. Although no charges were filed, he remained the subject of a lengthy congressional investigation by the House ethics committee into allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use.
The congressional investigation stalled when Gaetz resigned last week. Despite calls from Democratic lawmakers and some Republicans to release the commission’s report, the committee voted Wednesday to keep its conclusions private for now. in.
The committee is expected to review the matter next month — although many in Washington expect the report’s findings to leak before then.
The Washington Post reported Wednesday that the committee obtained records showing Gaetz paid women for sex. A lawyer representing the women who testified before the commission also told American media that one person witnessed Gaetz having sex with an underage girl.
Gaetz has denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
After Gaetz withdrew, Trump praised him on the Truth Social platform, saying the former congressman had a “great future” ahead.
“He did a great job but at the same time he didn’t want to be a distraction to the administration, which he respected very much,” the president-elect said. “Matt has a great future and I look forward to seeing all the great things he will do!”
Gaetz’s withdrawal comes just a day after he met with several Republican senators on Capitol Hill along with J.D. Vance, the Ohio senator who would be Trump’s vice president, in an effort to consolidate support for his nomination.
Vance on Thursday called Gaetz a “patriot” and said he was “incredibly grateful” for his work.
“He made the decision to withdraw completely out of respect for President Trump’s administration,” Vance added in a post on X.
There are questions about who Trump might now nominate to run the DoJ in place of Gaetz and whether he will choose another controversial figure or a more traditional candidate.
Trump separately nominated Todd Blanche, a former federal prosecutor who represented him in the New York hush money trial, for deputy attorney general and Jay Clayton, the former head of the committee. Securities and Exchange Commission, serving as United States attorney for the South. New York County.
Additional reporting by Alex Rogers in Palm Beach
