Washington [US]: Former Florida Representative Matt Gaetz announced on Thursday that he is withdrawing as President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Attorney General, citing concerns that his nomination “was unfairly becoming a distraction.”
The announcement followed meetings with Republican senators as Trump’s transition team assessed whether Gaetz could secure sufficient GOP support for confirmation, CNN reported.
“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,” Gaetz wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
“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. I remain fully committed to seeing that Donald J. Trump becomes the most successful President in history. I will forever be honoured that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice, and I’m certain he will Save America,” he added.
Gaetz’s decision was welcomed by several Senate Republicans, shedding light on the hurdles he faced due to ongoing controversies and a strained relationship with some members of his own party. Democrats had been pushing for the release of a House Ethics Committee report on Gaetz, which included allegations of sexual misconduct and other alleged crimes.
Gaetz has consistently denied the allegations, including claims that he had sexual relations with a woman in 2017 when she was a minor. Sources familiar with the investigation revealed that the woman testified to the Ethics Committee about two encounters with Gaetz in 2017, when she was 17 years old, one of which reportedly involved another adult woman. Gaetz’s legal team had previously denied these accusations, CNN reported.
As Gaetz formalised his decision to withdraw, Trump and his team were already informed. Gaetz also separately notified Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance. While his meetings with GOP senators were not overtly negative, sources indicated that there were too many “hard Nos” to secure confirmation. Additionally, the anticipated release of the ethics report was expected to reveal further damaging information that could jeopardise his confirmation prospects.
Trump offered supportive remarks following Gaetz’s announcement. “Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!” Trump posted on X, noting that while Gaetz had been progressing well in his confirmation efforts, he chose to step back to avoid detracting from the transition team’s critical work.
Despite Gaetz’s withdrawal, Trump’s transition team now faces the challenge of selecting a new nominee for Attorney General.
Trump has reiterated his commitment to appointing a leader who will “strongly defend the Constitution,” although no clear replacement has been identified, CNN reported.
Several Republican senators expressed relief at Gaetz’s decision. “It’s a good thing,” said outgoing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Maine Senator Susan Collins remarked that she was “pleased” with the development, while Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin described it as “probably a good decision.” South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds also noted that Gaetz’s confirmation would have been “problematic.”
However, not all Republicans shared the sentiment. Florida Senator Rick Scott expressed disappointment, saying, “I’ve known Matt since I started running for governor, and he’s a smart guy who worked hard.”
The future of Gaetz’s political career remains uncertain, as questions linger over whether he will return to the House of Representatives following his resignation earlier this month. Although he stated in his resignation letter that he did not intend to take the oath of office in January, legal technicalities surrounding his resignation might allow him to reclaim his seat.
Democrats expect the Ethics Committee report may be shelved due to Republican opposition, although some GOP members have suggested they might push for its release if Gaetz were to return to Congress.