Former Representative Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) announced he is withdrawing from consideration for U. S. attorney general, following concern regarding a House Ethics Committee investigation into his alleged misconduct. Gaetz stated his nomination was becoming a distraction and that he has dropped out to avoid his confirmation hearings disrupting the Trump-Vance transition. Gaetz made the announcement in a post on X:
Trump responded to Gaetz’s withdrawal, stating he appreciates his efforts and respects his decision to avoid being a distraction, stating in a post on 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!
In response to the announcement, Gaetz’s wife, Ginger, responded, posting on X:
Nobody loves America more than you 🫶🏼
Many have speculated that Trump’s nomination of Matt Gaetz was meant to secure Senate Republican approval of other less-controversial nominations through Gaetz agreeing to withdraw. Red Eagle Politics, a Gen Z political commentator who accurately predicted the voting results of six of seven swing states prior to the 2024 presidential election, shared similar views on the Gaetz nomination, stating in a post on X:
I’m starting to agree with the theory that the whole Matt Gaetz thing was just 5D chess from Trump to test how far he could push a Republican Senate
This likely was the plan from the get go, hence why Gaetz himself removed himself from consideration
