Matt Gaetz announced on Thursday that he is withdrawing his name from consideration for President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. attorney general. In a statement posted on the social media platform X, Gaetz explained: “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.” Gaetz’s candidacy was severely undermined by scandals involving allegations of sex with minors and illegal drug use, and other ethical breaches. Earlier on Thursday, new claims emerged that he had engaged in a second sexual encounter with a minor.
Several of Trump’s appointments have been a direct challenge to the established political system, however, none was as controversial as the nomination of Gaetz. His lack of technical qualifications and professional experience, combined with allegations questioning his moral character, made his candidacy particularly problematic. Gaetz sparked the strongest backlash, even among Republicans. President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance had been actively lobbying senators to back Gaetz’s nomination, but the likelihood of his failing the crucial Senate confirmation vote remained exceedingly high.
Gaetz has long been one of the most despised figures among House Republicans, with animosity toward him intensifying after he introduced the motion to vacate that led to Kevin McCarthy’s ousting as Speaker of the House. “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,” Gaetz explained in his announcement. By stepping aside, he avoids the ordeal of providing potentially humiliating public explanations of his conduct during the Senate confirmation hearing.
Trump has expressed gratitude for Gaetz’s decision to step down. “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!” the president-elect posted on Truth Social.
For President-elect Trump, Gaetz’s withdrawal marks a notable setback. It highlights the limits of Trump’s influence within his own party, as even his considerable sway over the Republican Party could not overcome the widespread opposition to the controversial nomination. The resistance was so strong that even a recess appointment— a strategy to bypass Senate confirmation — was deemed unacceptable by many lawmakers. Meanwhile, Gaetz’s nomination has served to divert attention from other controversial appointments in Trump’s incoming administration.
Among the controversial appointments is Tulsi Gabbard as head of the intelligence services, despite her history of expressing sympathy for adversarial nations such as Russia, Syria, Iran, and China. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley sharply criticized this pick. Similarly divisive are the nominations of Pete Hegseth, a television host, for Secretary of Defense, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an outspoken anti-vaccine advocate, for Secretary of Health. Beyond their questionable qualifications, Hegseth has been accused of sexual assault, which he denies, while Kennedy is accused of sexually assaulting a live-in nanny — claims he says he cannot recall.
Meanwhile, Trump must now identify a replacement for the nominee for attorney general. Initially, he had proposed his personal attorney, Todd Blanche, as deputy attorney general — a nomination already mired in controversy. Blanche is now reportedly under consideration for attorney general. Whoever ultimately fills the position will face the critical tasks of addressing Trump’s federal indictments and implementing sweeping pardons for the thousands prosecuted and convicted in connection with the January 6 Capitol assault.
Whoever ultimately fills the position will face the critical tasks of addressing Trump’s federal indictments and implementing sweeping pardons for the thousands prosecuted and convicted in connection with the January 6 Capitol assault. This adds yet another layer of contentiousness to an administration marked by polarizing and ethically fraught appointments.
Gaetz’s downfall
Gaetz had resigned his seat in the House of Representatives following Trump’s nomination, a move aimed at preventing the House Ethics Committee from releasing a congressional report on sexual misconduct allegations against him. On Wednesday, the committee met but failed to reach an agreement on whether to release the findings.
The investigation reportedly includes statements from a woman who alleges she had sex with Gaetz in exchange for money when she was 17, as well as another woman who claims to have witnessed the encounter. Additionally, there is evidence of payments for sex made by the former congressman.
The woman who claims she had sexual encounters with then-Rep. Matt Gaetz while she was a minor testified before the House Ethics Committee that the incidents occurred during a 2017 party, according to sources familiar with her testimony. At the time, she was 17 years old. The woman stated that the second encounter, which had not been previously reported, involved another adult woman. She also provided testimony about both encounters in a civil deposition as part of a related lawsuit.
Gaetz was re-elected to Congress in the November 5 election. It remains uncertain whether he will take his seat when the new term begins in January, and whether the investigation into his conduct — specifically regarding drug use and potential misuse of funds — will be made public. Initially, when Gaetz tendered his resignation, he stated that he did not intend to take the oath of office as a representative in the new Congress, but at that time, he still hoped to be appointed attorney general.
Trump won the November 5 election with a commanding victory in the Electoral College, but with the narrowest margin in the popular vote since the 2000 election. He ultimately led by approximately 2.5 million votes over Kamala Harris. In the upcoming Congress, Republicans will hold 53 of the 100 Senate seats. Meanwhile, the results for three districts in the House of Representatives are yet to be finalized, more than two weeks after Election Day. So far, Republicans have secured 219 of the 435 seats, compared to 213 for the Democrats, granting the GOP a narrow majority. This slim advantage could be further reduced if several Republican representatives vacate their seats due to appointments in Trump’s administration.
