Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz has removed himself from consideration for US attorney general, saying his confirmation had become a “distraction” to President-elect Donald Trump.
Trump announced Gaetz as his choice last week, calling him the best candidate to “restore Americans’ badly-shattered faith and confidence” in the Department of Justice, which has been accused of politically persecuting Republicans.
“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,” Gaetz posted on X on Thursday. “I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful president in history.”
The president’s cabinet picks must be approved by the Senate. Gaetz faced opposition from all Democrats, as well as a few Republicans who signaled they would oppose Trump’s agenda when he takes office in January.
Republicans Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and John Curtis of Utah – Mitt Romney’s replacement – were reportedly against approving Gaetz, drawing the ire of many Republicans, who pointed out that most of them voted for current attorney general, Merrick Garland, thereby enabling his alleged abuses of office.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he greatly appreciated Gaetz’s efforts.
“Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!” the president-elect said.
Gaetz “made his decision to withdraw entirely out of respect for President Trump’s administration,” Vice President-elect J.D. Vance said. “Matt is a patriot and I look forward to seeing what he does next.”
Democrats, rebel Republicans, and a number of media outlets joined forces against Gaetz, denouncing him for alleged sexual dalliances with underage women. The Florida congressman had conclusively debunked the allegations, and the DOJ dropped the investigation last year without pressing charges. The House Ethics Committee kept them alive, however, reportedly thanks to California Congressman Kevin McCarthy, whose ouster from the speaker’s chair last year was spearheaded by Gaetz.
“Years-old allegations of a sexual / salacious nature from sources DOJ previously deemed not credible assembled by people with a political motive. The Steele Dossier really was shameful,” Gaetz posted just two hours prior to his surprise withdrawal.
The Steele Dossier was a fabricated set of claims about Trump which the Democrats commissioned from a British spy in 2016. The dossier was the key piece of their ‘Russiagate’ conspiracy theory used to undermine Trump’s first presidential term, and was cited by the FBI to spy on the Republican’s campaign and administration.